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| Africa North |
| Bouka reported captured in Garyounis while Libya Dawn claims to be heading to Benghazi |
| 2014-10-27 |
| [Libya Herald] It has been announced on television in Tripoli ...a confusing city, one end of which is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn... and Misrata that a new organization called Libya Dawn ...aka Fajr Libya, the Islamist operation launched to counter that of General Khalifa Haftar (Operation Dignity). It is made up of the Libya Shield militia (Misrata and Moslem Brotherhood), Libya Revolutionaries Operations Room (Moslem Brotherhood), and Tripoli Brigade (close to Abdul Hakim Belhaj, head of Al-Watan party). Financing and moral support come from Turkey and Qatar... 2 has been set up to "liberate" Benghazi and the east from Khalifa Hafter and his Operation Dignity forces. According to Libya Dawn-contolled Wataniya TV in Tripoli and An-Nabaa TV, which also supports Libya Dawn, the new forces arrived in Benghazi today. However, denial ain't just a river in Egypt... this has been dismissed as wishful thinking by officials in the eastern city. "It's not true," Ahmed Al-Mismari, front man for the General Chief of Staff, told the Libya Herald. "All the entrances to Benghazi are under our control." Residents in the south of Benghazi likewise said there had been no sign of any such brigade. The battle in the city continued to go badly today for Ansar al-Sharia ...a Salafist militia which claims it is not part of al-Qaeda, even though it works about the same and for the same ends. There are groups of the same name in Libyaand Yemen, with the Libyan versions currently most active. Tunisia's Shabaab al-Tawhid started out an Ansar al-Sharia and changed its name in early 2014. It still uses the old name now and then, probably because the stationery's not all used up and the web site hasn't expired yet... and its allies in the Benghazi Revolutionaries' Shoura Council (BRSC). In heavy fighting around Benghazi University in Garyounis, occupied by the BRSC, several sources reported that Bouka, the nomme de guerre of Mohammed Al-Araibi, commander of the Brega Martyrs Brigade ...aligned with Benghazi's Revolutionary Shura Council and the forces ranged against Operation Dignity. Part of the ramshackle coalition of brigades that opened fire on the Libyan Congress building because their chosen prime ministerial candidate Omar Al-Hassi failed to win a vote. Al-Hassi went on to start his own rival government in Tripoli... , had been captured in the fighting. For his part, Mismari refused to mention any names, saying only that a "criminal" who was the commander of a major brigade had been caught. Also reported captured today were two leading Ansar commanders named as Ali Al-Asabai and Fahim Al-Kuwafi. They are said to have been caught at the Bersis checkpoint northeast of the city. Bouka, who was reported injured last month, had earlier today released a video from inside the university in which he swore Dire Revenge for his Sidi Khalifa home which was attacked and burned the week before last. He also said that he would destroy Hafter and his forces. According to airforce commander Saqr Adam Geroushi, the university's administration building was badly damaged in the fighting, with offices containing files and student papers going up in flames. He blamed Ansar al-Sharia for the destruction. A member of 204 Tank Brigade, Ahmed Sherif, was also reported killed in the university festivities. The names of others maimed or killed in the action have not been released. Meanwhile, ...back at the comedy club, Boogie ducked another tomato... the army has warned residents in Sabri district to leave the area because heavy weaponry is to be used against remaining Ansar snipers there. One, named Ahmed Gadur, was reported killed and another, Khaled Al-Khafafi, as having surrendered. Yesterday, the LNA said that two of its soldiers were killed and 13 others injured in festivities in Sabri. It is also reported today that homes belonging to Ansar supporters in the district and in Majouri have been set on fire by neighbours. In other news in the city, nine bodies were said to have been found in the Libya Shield ...a conglomerate of pro-Islamist militias deployed across Libya. It reports to the Libyan defense ministry and is organized like a real army unit. Its commander used to head a Benghazi brigade called Free Libya Martyrs... No 1 base operated by Wisam Ben Hamid in Kuwaifiya district and which was captured earlier. Some of the bodies had been burned and are believed to be those opponents of Ansar and its allies. |
| Posted by:Fred |