TRIPOLI, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- A group of militants on Friday attacked government buildings in the southeastern Libyan town of Tazerbu, killing at least five people, a military source said.
"An attack this evening targeted Tazerbu. Dozens of gunmen on armed vehicles carried out separate attacks on the police station and a number of government buildings, killing at least five people, mostly security men," the source said.
"Residents are clashing with the militants and forced them to retreat," the source said, adding that the attackers were likely Islamic State (IS) militants, who carried out a similar attack last month in the central district of Jufra, some 650 km southeast of the capital Tripoli.
"The number of casualties could rise, as reports say some residents have been taken hostage by the militants," the source said.
Tazerbu is a small oasis town in southeastern Libya. It is one of the most important groundwater sources supplying western and central Libyan cities with water.
