The air force units of Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA) have carried out a series of airstrikes against pockets of Daesh terrorists in the northern city of Sirte.
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Advancing in their three-month campaign against the militants, the forces loyal to the UN-backed government said on Sunday (21 August) they were close to seizing the whole of Sirte. Since Aug. 1, they have been supported by US air strikes.
Fighters backed by heavy artillery and tank early in the day in Bufaraa neighbourhood, seizing a building used by Islamic State’s morality police as a prison, told Rida Issa, a spokesman.
Misrata hospital announced that 11 killed fighters from Al-Bunyan Al-Marsoos arrived along with 97 wounded ones in the hospital, saying some injuries are serious while others are minor.
Meanwhile, the U.S. has also supplied military support to the Libyan forces since earlier this month, and has also carried out 65 air strikes over Sirte as of Thursday.
They fought their way into Sirte on June 9 and have since faced a barrage of sniper fire, suicide bombings and booby traps, but have pinned down the jihadists in a downtown area near the sea. Losing Sirte will be a major blow to the militants who took control of the city previous year, although those who escaped the battle in the city, or are located elsewhere in the country are reportedly likely to take advantage of the chaos.
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Losing the city would be a major blow for the group, although militants who escaped or are based elsewhere in Libya are expected to keep trying to exploit the country’s political turmoil and security vacuum. This news story is related to Latest/144366-Libyan-forces-say-they-capture-mosque-prison-from-Islamic-State-in-Sirte/ – breaking news, latest news, pakistan ne.
