Occupied Libya: At Least 17 Killed In Another Outbreak of Fighting

Many Africans from Niger are returning home from Libya in the aftermath of the destruction of millions of jobs and businesses in that North African state. Libya has been under attack by the U.S. and NATO and their TNC rebels., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Report: At least 17 killed in fresh fighting in Libya

By Ramadan Al-Fatash
Sunday, June 10th 2012, 08:00 AM

June 10--CAIRO -- At least 17 people were killed Sunday in renewed clashes between former militiamen and tribal fighters in a south-eastern Libyan town, reported local media.

The fighting flared up when insurgents from the minority Tabu tribe attacked an office manned by the former militiamen in the town of Kufra, said the independent Libyan news agency Solidarity Press. Tanks were used in the dawn attack.

Fifteen tribal fighters and two from the former rebels, now part of the Libyan army, were killed, according to the report.

The clashes between the two sides had started late Friday amid conflicting reports about the cause.

A Tabu leader said the fighting had erupted after the former militiamen, known as the Libya Shield Battalion, had shelled the tribe's district.

But Ali Abdul-Rahim, a local security official, said an attack on a security checkpoint in the town triggered the violence.

Kufra, a town of about 40,000, was the scene of deadly ethnic fighting between the Arab Zwai and the African Tabu tribes in February.

The Tabu felt discriminated against under the 42-year rule of Libyan leader Moamer Gaddafi.

Several areas in the North African country have seen clashes in recent months, as rebels -- who fought and deposed the Gaddafi regime last year -- have kept their weapons and often retained de facto local control.


Libyans Close Ras Jadir Border

Afifa Ltifi
10 June 2012

The Ras Jadir border crossing between Tunisia and Libya had been closed today from the Libyan sides.

This follows armed clashes between ordinary Libyans and Libyan military forces.

“We are having Libyans who entered drunk from Tunisia and started to make trouble. Our military forces intervened by firing in the air to stabilize the situation. The Libyan authorities are strict when it comes to the entry of alcohol to the Libyan territory. We are embarking on a short-term security operation that will end tomorrow,”said Mohamed Jafara, a coordinator of the Libyan-Tunisian public relations who works at the border crossing of Ras Jdir.

From the Tunisian side a police chief in Ras Jadir said that the situation is stable and the border crossing is open from the Tunisian side. “Everything is under control, we have no problems from our side,” he said.