Three Libyan fighters of a military force based in Tripoli were killed in clashes with smugglers and drug dealers in the desert near the border with Algeria, the force said in a statement on Tuesday. The force, 444 Brigade, said the clashes “were heated and lasted for hours,” adding that they “had thwarted smuggling approximately 5 million narcotic pills.” The brigade has patrols in the south of the city and other towns combating smuggling. It is among the strongest military forces in Tripoli. Since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi, smugglers have been able to make va…