ISIS claims responsibility for Benghazi bombing that killed 3 children

ISIS has claimed responsibility for a bombing in Benghazi that killed 3 children, it has been reported by Anadolu. The children were killed on Tuesday when a mortar shell hit their home; a fourth brother was wounded. Two civilians were also killed and nine others were injured on Wednesday in an attack by the militant group against residential areas in the city. Sources in Benina Field Hospital, east of Benghazi, told Anadolu that “random shells fired into the area on Tuesday evening” were responsible for the casualties.

Groups loyal to ISIS published images on social networking sites of militants firing rocket-propelled grenades with the caption, “Targeting army units with 120 calibre mortars in Benghazi”. The media centre of Welayat Barqa, an affiliate of ISIS, published images of what it claimed to be gunmen preparing for a mortar attack against the city.

Armed clashes have erupted recently in areas near Benghazi between troops affiliated with the internationally recognised Tobruk-based Libyan parliament and the Ansar Al-Sharia militants. The army regained some control of the area, allowing families who fled earlier clashes to return to their homes.

The parliament and interim government have denounced the targeting of civilians in the city. “Terrorists shells did not spare children, men, women or the elderly in Benghazi,” said a parliamentary statement, which called on the General Command of the Army to intervene quickly and assume its responsibilities towards the citizens of the city.

Libya’s interim government, headed by Prime Minister Abdullah Al-Thani, denounced the incident in a statement calling on the international community and human rights institutions to take note of the suffering of civilians at the hands of terrorist groups. The government stressed that it will “continue to fight terrorism and protect citizens and their property.”