Seven killed, dozen injured in clashes in western Libya

Benghazi (Libya), May 17 (Xinhua-ANI): At least seven people have been killed and more than a dozen wounded in clashes broke out on Wednesday in Ghadames city in western Libya, local media reported on Thursday.

The clashes took place between residents of Ghadames city, some 600 km southwest of Libya's capital city Tripoli, and armed forces of the Tuareg tribe which were expelled from the city following the unrest that toppled former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi last year.

Tuareg forces entered Ghadames Wednesday morning and seized the headquarters of a Tunisian company and the airport, arousing violent clashes with local residents, during which various types of medium and heavy weapons were used.

A medical source from Ghadames said that the hospital received seven dead bodies and more than 10 wounded people due to the armed clashes.

After the clashes, the official spokesman of the Libyan General Staff, Colonel Ali Shikhi, said the situation in the city has been under full control of the Libyan national army as Tuareg tribe went out.

Shikhi told Xinhua that external parties had nothing to do with the clashes, saying there was no sign of any entry of foreign tribes from Algeria or other countries.

He added that the army forces were preparing to send additional troops to Ghadames to prevent further clashes.(Xinhua-ANI)