More than 40 foreign mercenaries were killed on Sunday when foreign gangs from neighbouring countries attempted to storm the Saharan city of Al-Kufra, southeast Libya.

The General Staff of the Libyan Army said in a statement that gangs from Chad and Niger in addition to mercenaries from the Sudanese Justice and Equality Movement tried to break into the city in collusion with leaders of Dignity Operation in a bid to have control over the city.

Sources from Al-Kufra indicated that a convoy of 40 military vehicles attempted to penetrate the city but the revolutionary fighters supported by locals thwarted them.

Local journalist Abdul-Hamid Al-Zwai said the exchange of fire between the city's revolutionary fighters and foreign invaders lasted for six hours.

"Around 40 mercenaries were killed and 15 of their military vehicles were set ablaze while the rest fled out of the city." Al-Zwai confirmed.

Al-Kufra field commander Tawfeeq Ishwaishin was also killed in the fighting against the invading gangs.

The GNC and the General Staff mourned the death of Ishwaishin and called the neighbouring cities to help Al-Kufra revolutionaries in their fight against the foreign invaders.

 [VIDEO::https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By0b_nSEb1c]

Tags: