Anti -16 November 2015

Nov 16, 2015 | Libyan actors

Clashes continue in Benghazi between the LNA and Benghazi Revolutionary Shoura Council (BRSC) forces, especially in the Abu Atni and Laithi districts. Last week witnessed a resurgent LNA, notably seeing the Thunderbolt Special Forces led by the General Wanis Bukhamada advance and retake strategic locations. The new momentum comes after internal tensions within the LNA divided forces between federalists and loyalists to Haftar two weeks ago. However, while the LNA regained control in some parts of Abu Atni and Lithi districts, many soldiers and two commanders died in the clashes and many more were injured, while BRSC forces continued to hold ground and disprove advances. The aerial blockade of the city continues. Airstrikes reportedly killed 7 IS members in the Lithi district and destroyed an arms supply trawler off the coast of Ganfuda, west of Benghazi, on Thursday 12 November.

The commander of the LNA unit leading the fight against IS in Derna (with Derna’s Mujahedeen Shoura Council, or DMSC, allies), Colonel Mohamed Bughafir, died in battle on Sunday 15 November along with approximately ten others, a day after US airstrikes claimed to have killed the IS leader in Libya.