13 killed in Libya clashes

Five soldiers and eight militants were killed Saturday in clashes in Libya's eastern city of Darna, said a military official.

The clashes between the army and the Mujahideen Shura Council militants left 13 people, including five soldiers, dead and 15 others from both sides injured, Col. Ahmed Al-Mismari, spokesman of the Libyan army, told Xinhua.

"The clashes were an attempt of the militants to penetrate the front line of the security cordon imposed by the army on the city of Darna," Al-Mismari said.

However, a leader of the militant group said only four of its fighters were killed in the clashes.

The Libyan army imposed a security cordon on Darna from all sides.

On Dec 12, the formation of "Shura Council of the Mujahedeen of Darna" was announced to include a number of Islamist fighters to guard against any possible attacks by the Libyan army and forces of Major Gen. Khalifa Haftar on the city, which is out of the control of the Libyan government and dominated by Islamic groups, including the pro-Islamic State (IS) groups.