Libya loyalist forces battle IS in Benghazi

Libyan pro-government forces yesterday battled jihadists from the Islamic State group in second city Benghazi, where five pro-government fighters have been killed in two days of violence, media said.

Four loyalist soldiers died and 22 were wounded on Sunday in clashes with ISIS in the southern district of Hawari, the pro-government LANA news agency reported.

"Fierce clashes with all sorts of weapons are still ongoing yesterday between the army and terrorist groups," LANA said, quoting a military source.

The eastern city has been rocked by near-daily fighting for more than a year between pro-government forces and armed groups including fighters from the radical Ansar al-Sharia and IS.