Clashes continued from Wednesday night to Thursday morning in southern Derna in eastern Libya between the fighters of Derna Shura Council and forces loyal to warlord Khalifa Haftar.
Derna Shura Council fighters conducted a surprise attack on Haftar’s forces positions in Dahar Al-Hamar using heavy weapons. The fighting went on through the night on Wednesday.
The spokesman for the Omar Al-Muktar Operations Room of Haftar’s forces, Abdelkarim Sabrah, confirmed that they conducted artillery shelling in response to the attack of the council’s fighters.
“We thwarted the attack by shelling locations for the council. Out fighters did not advance on Derna City.” Sabrah added.
Sources close to Derna Shura Council reported at least two fighters from Haftar’s forces were killed and others were injured in “the surprise and shocking attack.”
“It was aimed to tell the forces besieging Derna to be careful of advance on Derna Shura Council locations.” They added.
Haftar’s forces have been besieging Derna for two years despite all international and local class to end the encirclement.
Haftar, himself, called for advancing into the city and taking control of it in his meeting in Ain Mara, near Derna, a couple of days ago.
