Tripoli , Libya ( CNN ) -- At least nine Libyan soldiers were killed in fighting between government forces and Islamist militants in Benghazi on Friday , officials said . The fighting began when members of the Islamist armed group Ansar al Sharia and other `` criminal groups '' attacked the headquarters of the Benghazi security directorate early Friday , the Libyan interim government said in a statement . Health officials said 19 soldiers and policemen were wounded , and some of the attackers were also killed , wounded or taken captive , according to the government . Residents and activists reported explosions and intense gunfire that lasted about an hour at dawn before army special forces troops took control of the area . The government said the attackers used small , medium and heavy weapons in their assault . The government condemned the attack and praised the special forces and other security personnel in Benghazi `` for their resilience . '' The statement went on to say the government will not `` allow the presence of terrorists or armed criminal groups that operate outside the legitimacy of the state , it will not allow states within a state . '' Security forces in Benghazi , Libya 's second-largest city , have often been targets of assassinations and bomb attacks blamed on Islamist extremist groups . On Tuesday , at least two soldiers were killed and a number of others were wounded when a car bomb blew up outside an army base in Benghazi . While no group has claimed responsibility for the violence that has gripped the eastern city , residents and officials have blamed it on groups including Ansar al Sharia , which has clashed with the army in recent months . The United States designated the militant group a terrorist organization this year for its involvement in violence in Benghazi , including the U.S. Consulate attack in 2012 . The security situation in Benghazi has been a major challenge for the Libyan government , with near daily assassinations and kidnappings , which mostly target security forces . There has been growing concern about the increasing presence and influence of radical militant groups in the North African country after the 2011 revolution that overthrew the Gadhafi regime . A recently released annual report by the U.S. State Department on global terrorism trends singled out Libya as an area of concern and instability . `` Libya 's porous borders , the weakness of Libya 's nascent security institutions , and large amounts of loose small arms create opportunities for violent extremists , '' the report said . During an official visit to the Libyan capital last week , Deputy Secretary of State William Burns voiced his concerns about the situation and pledged U.S. support to Libya . `` The rising threat of violent extremism , whether it is people using violence for political purposes or the role of terrorist groups , is an enormous challenge first and foremost to the people of Libya , but also to Libya 's international partners as well . We recognize the severity of that threat , '' he told reporters in Tripoli . `` We have all suffered from it , whether it is Americans or Libyans or others around the world , and that is why we have such a sense of urgency , and such a sense of determination , to help Libyans build their own security capacity , to deepen counterterrorism cooperation , and also to promote the kind of healthy political process and economic process that increases the chances for greater security over the long term . ''
Benghazi security directorate headquarters attacked early Friday , Libyan government says . 19 soldiers , policemen reported wounded , and some attackers killed , wounded or captured . Comment: ` criminal groups '' Government says the attackers used small , medium and heavy weapons .