Three killed in suspected Isis attack on southern Libya-official

Three killed in suspected Isis attack on southern Libya-official
Three killed in suspected Isis attack on southern Libya-official

Three people werekilled on Thursday in a suspected hit-and-run attack by Isis militants on atown in southern Libya, residents and a military official said, the second suchattack within days.

In the capitalTripoli, three rockets hit a western suburb overnight close to the heavilyfortified U.N. compound but otherwise there was less fighting than last week aslife slowed down with the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Gunmen stormed thesouthern town of Ghadwa and opened fire before retreating back into the desert,residents said.

The attack cameafter nine soldiers were killed on Saturday in an attack claimed by Isis on atraining camp for the eastern Libyan forces of commander Khalifa Haftar.

Haftar's LibyaNational Army (LNA) took control of the south earlier this year. But he hasconcentrated his forces in the northwest, where they have been embroiled in amonth-long battle for Tripoli with fighters allied to the divided country'sinternationally recognised government, which is based there.

Isis is active inthe south, having retreated there after losing its stronghold in the centralcity of Sirte in December 2016.

The LNA, whosepower base is in eastern Libya, has been unable to breach the southern defencesof Tripoli forces and fighting has diminished since the start on Monday ofRamadan, during which most Muslims fast during the day.

Around threerockets hit the western Janzour suburb targeting a police station and factorynear the U.N. compound, a resident said.

The United Nationshas failed to broker a ceasefire after the offensive took it by surprise. Itsspecial envoy Ghassan Salame has mostly stayed on the ground but the Libyamission has greatly reduced staffing levels, U.N. officials say.

One senior healthworker was severely wounded as he travelled in an ambulance car in a southernTripoli district that was reportedly attacked by LNA-affiliated fighters, theU.N. humanitarian agency OCHA said in a statement.

Separately, twoboats carrying 214 migrants were intercepted by the Libyan coast guard late onWednesday and taken back to the shore, the U.N. migration agency said.

"As clashescontinue in the capital, we are concerned about the return and arbitrarydetention of migrants in #Libya," the International Organization forMigration said in a tweet.

IOM spokesman JoelMillman said the 107 people on the first boat included 12 women and sevenchildren, while the 107 people on the second boat were all men, 92 of themSudanese, and there had been no reports of missing people or bodies retrieved.

On Wednesday, theindependent AlarmPhone website, which provides a hotline for boat people indistress, said it was in touch with a boat with about 150 people on board, whowere using their clothes to plug a hole and panicking.

The western Libyancoast is a major departure point for mainly African migrants fleeing conflictand poverty and trying to reach Italy across the Mediterranean Sea with thehelp of human traffickers.

Smuggling activityhad slowed when forces loyal to Haftar launched their offensive on Tripoli, buthuman trafficking has picked up again since last week. 

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