TRIPOLI, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- The death toll of the militant attack on town of Tazerbu in southeastern Libya on Friday increased to eight.
The militant attack on Tazerbu killed six policemen and two civilians, and injured more than 15 others, mostly civilians, according to a military source.
The clashes stopped completely between security forces and residents against the militants, and military patrols are hunting the militants south of the town, said the source.
"The attack caused great damage to public and private properties," the source said.
The source also confirmed that the militants took dozens of hostages as they withdrew from the area.
A military source earlier told Xinhua that dozens of gunmen on armed vehicles carried out separate attacks on the police station and a number of government buildings in Tazerbu, killing and injuring several people.
The source said 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.
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.
