Tense calm in Libya's capital after fighting
Tripoli, 27 Oct - (ANA) - A tense calm is reported in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli after days of deadly fighting between Sunni militants and government troops. Soldiers entered the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood, to where the militants had retreated, on Monday, though there were no reports of clashes. At least 10 soldiers, five civilians and about two dozen militants have been killed since Friday. The fighting is some of the deadliest to have hit Lebanon for months. Earlier, thousands of civilians left Bab al-Tabbaneh during a lull in the violence between troops and the militants, believed to be linked to al-Qaeda. Army commanders ordered a truce to allow residents to flee. The militants have threatened to execute captured soldiers if the army refuses to call off its operation. The clashes erupted on Friday after an incident in an outlying village the day before, in which three militants allegedly linked to Islamic State (IS) were killed. On Saturday fighting raged in the Tripoli's Old City, a candidate for Unesco world heritage status. Although there have been several bouts of fighting in Tripoli since war broke out in Syria, the recent clashes mark the first time militants have occupied its historic heart. On Sunday reports emerged that the Sunni gunmen had retreated into Bab al-Tabbaneh.(ANA)
FA/ANA/27 October 2014-------------