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Somali security forces said on Sunday they had killed 18 Islamist insurgents during an operation in the northern region of Puntland, although the militants denied sustaining any casualties.
“We killed 18 militants and burnt six of their bases in Galgala hills in an operation over four days to eliminate al-Shabaab,” said Colonel Mohamed Ismail, a senior officer in the Puntland Security Force.
Heavy clashes erupted on Sunday between rival factions on the coastal road east of the Libyan capital Tripoli, according to a witness and local reports.
The clashes broke out when an armed group opposed to the U.N.-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli tried to approach the capital and were confronted by forces that have aligned themselves with the GNA, the witness said.
On Saturday, Iraqi security forces (ISF) liberated the strategic Old Mosul city, the last ISIS stronghold in the city of Mosul, the Iraqi military has declared.
ISF lliberated Nujaifi street, Bab al-Toub and Souk al-Sagha and broke the remaining ISIS defense lines inside the area. At least 74 ISIS members were reportedly killed during their failed attempt to flee Old City.
Islamic militants attacked a remote Egyptian army outpost in the Sinai Peninsula with a suicide car bomb and heavy machine gun fire on Friday, killing at least 23 soldiers in the deadliest attack in the turbulent region in two years.
After nightfall, the Islamic State group issued a claim of responsibility, saying in an online statement that it had carried out the attack as the Egyptian army was preparing an assault on IS positions in Sinai.
At least seven insurgents were killed in clashes with security forces in northern Faryab province on Wednesday night, local police officials said on Thursday.
In addition, eight insurgents were wounded.