9 killed in clashes in Benghazi

At least nine people were killed and 51 others wounded in the heavy clashes that erupted on Monday in the Libyan eastern city of Benghazi between the Libyan army and the Salafi militia Ansar Al Sharia, according to the latest toll of the Libyan Ministry of Health. Gunmen reportedly attacked a checkpoint of Libyan army special forces stationed near the headquarter of Ansar al-Sharia in Ras Abayda area. The clashes, which continued for hours, extended to Al-Berka and Al-Salmani neighborhoods in Benghazi. Local media reported that a number of Ansar Al Sharia militiamen fled the city as their headquarters was totally burnt following the bloody clashes, reported Xinhua news agency. On November 11, Libyan prime minister Ali Zeidan went to Benghazi to discuss the new security plan in the eastern region of Cyrenaica, but he was forced to leave as a number of protesters shouted at him blaming him for lack of security in the city for months which ended up with drastic escalation of violence.