Libyan army brigade says head of unit killed in ambush in south

TRIPOLI, Libya – A spokesman for a Libyan national army brigade says the head of his unit has been killed and three soldiers wounded in an ambush en route to a southern city.

Brigade spokesman Ali el-Abed says his unit had been delivering army vehicles from Tripoli to the southern city of Sabha when they came under attack by unidentified gunmen around 100 kilometers (62 miles) from their destination.

A military official in Sabha, where the unit is based, says three assailants were also killed in the fighting Friday. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to media.

Abed says wounded from both sides have been transferred to hospitals in the capital Tripoli. The ambush occurred in the town of Kira, once a Moammar Gadhafi stronghold.