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By Libya Herald staff.
Tripoli, 18 September 2015:
A four-man suicide group from the Islamic State (IS) managed to penetrate Tripoli’s Mitiga airbase . . .[restrict]early this morning and attack one of the prisons there. All four, however, were killed when they tried to storm the building used by the Rada (Deterrence) forces of Abdul-Raouf Kara. However, it is claimed that they managed to blow a hole in the prison wall.
There are reports that at least three Rada fighters were also killed in the fighting.
IS has put out a statement claiming responsibility for the attack, with photos of the attackers, some of whom it is thought are not Libyan. They were armed with explosives belts.
There are conflicting reports as to the motive for the attack. One is that the squad wanted to rescue fellow IS members held at the prison. Another is that the aim was simply to show that they could hit those controlling the capital, Kara being a principle figure. There are also suggestions that the attack aimed to undermine Abdul Hakim Belhaj, the former LIFG commander now widely regarded as the most powerful person in the city. His Libyan Wings airline has announced that it will start flying from the airport tomorrow.
