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By Libya Herald staff.
Tripoli, 18 March 2014:
Ten troops from the Misratan-led Shooruq operation have been shot and . . .[restrict]killed in a raid by Islamic State (IS) forces on a checkpoint near Nawfaliya.
A spokesman for the operation, Ismael Shubir, said in a televised statement that the attack had taken place in the early hours of this morning.
There have been unconfirmed reports that IS killed the men in their sleep as the militant group counter-attacked near Nawfaliya and Bin Jawad, east of Sirte.
Fighting has raged in and around Sirte for days with dozens killed in the clashes. It is the first time Misratan forces, led by 166 Battalion, have confronted the extremist group in the town.
IS took control of the Sirte months ago with a tacit ceasefire in effect between Misrata and the militants. Since that ceasefire has come to an end, refugees have been streaming out of Sirte to avoid getting caught up in the violence.
Since the initial day of fighting in Sirte between IS and Misratan forces, IS has retaliated with two bomb attacks in Tripoli and is believed to have orchestrated a third bombing on a 166 Battalion base in the outskirts of Misrata.
Elders from Nawfaliya have met their counterparts in Misrata to help the Misratan-led forces to storm the area. There have been reports of some airstrikes on IS positions by Libya Dawn aircraft and further clashes in the immediate area following this morning’s raid.
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