A fierce battle near the port of Libya's eastern city of Benghazi sets a large ship afire Monday.
A large ship was in ablaze after a fierce fighting in Benghazi port. The ship in flames was not yet identified as witnesses and the country's military men are still in disagreement whether it was an oil tanker or a naval ship.
Islamic militias fired rocket propelled grenades from buildings overlooking the port, hitting an oil tanker, said Mohammed Hegazi, the army spokesperson, to The Associated Press.
"I saw it with my own eyes and it is a small oil tanker," Hegazi said. The army spokesperson declined to disclose any more details about the tanker. He added that the army has previously warned oil tankers from entering Benghazi port. According to Hegazi, it was the reason was not clear why the tanker was in the port. The Benghazi port has been closed for weeks.
On the contrary, witnesses of the incident are claiming that it was a naval ship that was hit in the crossfire. There were no hard evidences yet to clarify the differences between the two varied accounts.
A resident in the area recounted that the clash near the port started mid-day Monday and rapidly heated up. Random shooting took place, he added.
"I saw families running for their lives out of the neighborhood. I even saw women going out of the area without their shoes," the resident witness said. "A state of panic has taken over the neighborhood." The witness did not disclose any personal identification for his safety.
Army troops fought in the city's central districts where the Benghazi courthouse is located, said Hegazi. In 2011, the courthouse became a center of unrest. Benghazi is the first city to take a stand and rise up against the long-time dictator, Moammar Gadhafi. Almost eight months after the uprising, Gadhafi was killed but Libya's chaos continued as rebel turned into militiamen and thrived in number and power, creating a serious threat to the country's elected officials.
