A medical official estimated yesterday that over 210 people have been killed in the past two weeks of fighting between Islamist militias and the forces of General Khalifa Haftar in Benghazi. Pro-government forces “recaptured military positions that the Islamists … had seized in July” over the weekend and now claim to hold all of eastern Benghazi; the Libyan Army is urging civilians to evacuate the central Assabri district in preparation for an offensive today. Labraq Airport, east of Benghazi, has been closed due to rocket fire. A Libyan Army colonel was shot and killed while traveling to Islamist-held Derna for his brother’s funeral; a hotel cafe in the city was bombed Sunday morning. On Oct. 31, “around 50 young people” in Derna reportedly pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.
