At least five Libyan troops were killed late on Friday when a mortar landed in the eastern city of Benghazi where pro-government forces have been fighting against a mix of Islamist militant brigades, medical sources said.

Benghazi is just one front in a complex conflict involving Libya’s two rival governments, and loose alliances of armed factions as well as Islamist militant forces taking advantage of the chaos to gain ground.

“Five members of the Libyan National Army were killed when a mortar shell landed among them late Friday evening,” the medical source at Benghazi’s Al-Jala hospital told Reuters.

The source said at least 20 troops had been killed in fighting in June. LNA Mohamed Hejazi said their forces had been fighting in around six districts in the city.

“These militant groups have become individuals who are taking high building as posts. The militants have also booby-trapped all houses and streets,” Hejazi said.

Army forces loyal to Libya’s internationally recognised government have been fighting several Islamist groups in Libya’s second-largest city as part of a wider struggle since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

Fighters claiming allegiance to the Islamist State group holding parts of Iraq and Syria have also claimed attacks in Benghazi as that group looks to expand its foothold in Libya.

Pro-government forces in Benghazi have regained some territory lost last year. But progress has stalled as militants hole up in several districts and the port area despite claims by army commander Khalifa Haftar that his forces control most of the city.

Libya’s recognised government operates out of the east since an armed faction known as Libya Dawn took over the capital Tripoli last summer and declared its own government.

Ongoing United Nations negotiations to end the conflict and bring the two main factions into a unity government and broker a broad ceasefire have struggled as both sides seek more concessions over their rivals.

At least five Libyan troops were killed late on Friday when a mortar landed in the eastern city of Benghazi where pro-government forces have been fighting against a mix of Islamist militant brigades, medical sources said.

Benghazi is just one front in a complex conflict involving Libya’s two rival governments, and loose alliances of armed factions as well as Islamist militant forces taking advantage of the chaos to gain ground.

“Five members of the Libyan National Army were killed when a mortar shell landed among them late Friday evening,” the medical source at Benghazi’s Al-Jala hospital told Reuters.

The source said at least 20 troops had been killed in fighting in June. LNA Mohamed Hejazi said their forces had been fighting in around six districts in the city.

“These militant groups have become individuals who are taking high building as posts. The militants have also booby-trapped all houses and streets,” Hejazi said.

Army forces loyal to Libya’s internationally recognised government have been fighting several Islamist groups in Libya’s second-largest city as part of a wider struggle since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

Fighters claiming allegiance to the Islamist State group holding parts of Iraq and Syria have also claimed attacks in Benghazi as that group looks to expand its foothold in Libya.

Pro-government forces in Benghazi have regained some territory lost last year. But progress has stalled as militants hole up in several districts and the port area despite claims by army commander Khalifa Haftar that his forces control most of the city.

Libya’s recognised government operates out of the east since an armed faction known as Libya Dawn took over the capital Tripoli last summer and declared its own government.

Ongoing United Nations negotiations to end the conflict and bring the two main factions into a unity government and broker a broad ceasefire have struggled as both sides seek more concessions over their rivals.

Libya’s Tobruk-based Prime Minister Abdullah Al-Thinni said that the international community’s divisions and failure to have a firm stand toward what is happening in the country has resulted in the spread of Islamic State (ISIS).

Al-Thinni added that the world is standing idly by as ISIS spreads further, noting that terrorist groups are obtaining weapons while the Libyan National Army’s forces are subjected to an arms embargo.

He warned that the organisation’s militants could reach Libya’s oil refineries if the international community does not give the army weapons.

Al-Thinni welcomed the formation of a national reconciliation government which may include members of the elected parliament and members of the outgoing Libyan National Congress provided there is body that will hold the government to account and avoid a monopoly of power.

Six terrorists have been killed in air strikes launched by the Egyptian army in North Sinai, security source told Youm7.

The strikes come in the framework of the magnified security campaign taking place in the peninsula to combat the expansion of the Sinai-based extremists who have killed hundreds of Egyptian soldiers in numerous attacks.

Security forces have arrested 15 suspects, demolished four “terrorist” hotbeds and detonated four explosive devices planted in North Sinai’s cities of Arish, Rafah and Sheikh Zuwayed security sourced told Youm7.

Some 42 detainees were released after authorities assured they are not involved in violence committed against civilians, police or army forces.

A Wednesday attack has killed a police officer and injured at least four soldiers after their armored vehicle ran over three road bombs. Preliminary investigations suggested the involvement of the militant group Sinai Province, formerly known as Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis (ABM,) Youm7 quoted security sources as saying.

Earlier this week, a communiqué was distributed by the militant group among North Sinai Bedouins warning them against “using tractors or heavy equipments to avoid running over planted explosives.”

The group pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) group in November 2014. It has claimed responsibility for most of the attacks on the army and police in North Sinai, and has killed several Bedouins for their alleged cooperation with the military or Israel.

In the ongoing “war against terrorism” in Sinai, dozens of tribes announced they are uniting to assist the army in its fight.

Egypts army said on Wednesday it had foiled an attack against security forces in the restive North Sinai region, killing seven militants and destroying two weapon caches.

The announcement by the army spokesman on his Facebook page came hours after a police officer was killed and four others were wounded when their armoured vehicle hit a roadside bomb in El-Arish, the provincial capital, security and medical sources said.

The army said it had received intelligence that ‘”terrorist elements were transferring rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns and C4 explosives from Rafah to the town of Sheikh Zuweid in an attempt to carry out an attack against security forces.

Egypt is facing a Sinai-based insurgency that has killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers since the army toppled Islamist President Mohamed Morsy after mass protests against his rule in 2013.

The most active militant group is Sinai Province, which has pledged allegiance to Islamic State, the Sunni group that controls large parts of Iraq and Syria.

Egypt executed six members of Sinai Province for carrying out an attack on soldiers near Cairo last year, their lawyer said in May.

There has been fighting between the two groups ever since with the Council declaring a holy war against IS. Derna has a long history of hosting radical Islamists even before Gadaffi was overthrown. The residents eagerly joined the battle to oust Gadaffi. Derna was the first city to come under control of the Islamic State but many local residents did not agree with their ideology, nor their tactics, and the group fought with other long established jihadist groups in Derna.

While the Islamic State does contain many locals who converted from other radical groups, some of the members and leaders are foreigners who have come from afar after having participated in battles in Syria and Iraq or Yemen. The Al-Qaeda linked Ansar Al Sharia group that is blamed for the attack on the US consul in Benghazi has lost many members to IS and is one of the groups in Derna fighting against IS. The same group was subject to a recent US attack targeting a well-known militant, although doubts remain as to whether Mokhtar Belmokhtar was killed.

The Shura group had made gains recently taking some key facilities in Derna and driving IS out of many areas but now it appears they have been completely driven out into a nearby mountain area. However, the Libya Herald is already reporting that IS is mounting a counter-attack and advancing towards the city.

The Tripoli government applauded the Shura Council and promised medical supplies and other aid to help defeat the Islamic State. The Tripoli government has been losing ground to IS in the city of Sirte and surrounding area with IS recently taking control of the airport and of the last suburb of Sirte controlled by Tripoli. It contains an important power plant.

Although control of Derna may have been wrested from IS, the Shura Council is also a foe of the Tobruk government and will not allow it to take control. The Shura Council is an ally of the Tripoli government.

The UN presented a fourth draft plan for a unity government it hoped would be agreeable to the two rival governments. The Tripoli, GNC, or Salvation Government has reacted positively to the draft but wants to present some amendments before officially ratifying it. The Tobruk government has rejected the draft and the members of the HoR have varying opinions about what should be done. The UN special envoy, Bernardino Leon hoped to have an agreement before the start of Ramadan on Thursday. That seems unlikely if not impossible at this late date.