AS forces attack Saiqa in Benghazi

Suspected Ansar al-Sharia (Libyan branch) militants attacked the Benghazi Security Directorate on Friday sparking clashes between them and the Saiqa Special Forces which left as many as 27 AS militants and 9 Saiqa troops dead. The incident touched off clashes across the city apparently and a major government security crackdown. AS is particularly active in Benghazi and Derna and has been implicated in attacks against pro-government forces in the past. They were also implicated in the 2012 killing of US Ambassador Chris Stevens. The recent event will only serve to further distance them from the mainstream and increase US and Egyptian concerns of an Islamist militant revival in north eastern Libya that could increasingly impact on security across the region.