Families evacuate Benghazi as renegade Libyan general vows more attacks
Source: Reuters
BY AYMAN AL-WARFALLI AND AHMED ELUMAMI
(Reuters) - The self-declared Libyan National Army told civilians on Saturday to leave parts of Benghazi before it launched a fresh attack on Islamist militants, a day after at least 43 were killed in the worst clashes in the Libyan city for months.
Dozens of families could be seen packing up and driving away from western districts of the port city where Islamist militants and LNA forces led by renegade retired General Khalifa Haftar, had fought for hours on Friday.
"We urge citizens in Benghazi's districts Quarsha, Al-Hawari and Sidi Faraj to evacuate their homes from today," Haftar's spokesman Mohamed al-Hejazi said.
Friday's violence prompted the Libyan army to declared a no-fly zone after Haftar's forces used at least one helicopter during the fighting, according to a statement on the chief of staff's website.
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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/17/us-libya-violence-idUSBREA4G04A20140517
http://s1.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20140517&t=2&i=897671369&w=580&fh=&fw=&ll=&pl=&r=CBREA4G0Y0500
A militia stands guard in front of the entrance to the February 17 militia camp after Libyan irregular forces clashed with them in the eastern city of Benghazi May 16, 2014.
CREDIT: REUTERS/ESAM OMRAN AL-FETORI
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