Seven killed in clashes between troops, militia in Libya

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Details added, first version was published at 11:21

Seven soldiers were killed in clashes between Libyan troops and radical militiamen in the eastern city of Benghazi on Monday, state-run media reported.

The Libyan army declared a state of alert in Benghazi and ordered all soldiers to report for duty, dpa reported.

Clashes between army forces and members of the jihadist Ansar al-Sharia group injured 39 people, the official LANA news agency quoted medical officials as saying.

Libya's post-revolution rulers have been struggling to assert authority and re-establish security amid a proliferation of weapons and militias since the ouster and killing of Moamer Gaddafi in October 2011.

Benghazi, the birthplace of the anti-Gaddafi uprising, has seen several deadly clashes and blasts over the past year.

Ansar al-Sharia is one of many militia groups formed during the conflict to topple Gaddafi. After the 2011 conflict ended, militias set up bases across Libya. Their presence have repeatedly led to deadly clashes with tribal fighters.

Many of them refused to disarm or leave their camps, despite repeated calls by the government and promises to enroll the fighters interested in the army.

The group, advocating the implementation of strict Sharia law, was blamed for several attacks and assassinations in Benghazi. It was also suspected of being behind last September's attack on the US Consulate, which killed US Ambassador Chris Stevens and three others.

In Tripoli, 47 people were killed on November 15 when militiamen opened fire at protesters who had marched to militia bases to demand that they leave the capital. Some groups handed over their positions to the national army after the incident.