News / North Africa

Libya forces pushing to liberate last Sirte district from Daesh

Tuesday, 30 August 2016 6:35 AM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 30 August 2016 6:51 AM ]

Libyan forces take up another residential area in central Sirte on August 29, 2016. ©Reuters

Forces loyal to the Libyan unity government are on the verge of liberating the northern city of Sirte from Daesh, as only one district in the coastal city is said to be under the control of the Takfiri terror group.

The forces said that they “completely liberated” neighborhood Number One residential area in central Sirte on Monday as they entered the final phase of their months-long operation against Daesh.

Spokesman Rida Issa said the brigade fighters were “in the process of clearing any remnants of Daesh” from the area.

According to hospital officials, at least six fighters were killed and 12 wounded in the Monday offensive, which saw Daesh terrorists using mines, car bombs or artillery to slow the advances of Libyan troops.

The forces, however, continue moving tanks and other vehicles towards other positions.

Last week, the brigades announced a pause in the fighting to let women and children leave the battle zone before the final push to fully liberate Sirte.

Forces of the UN-backed government launched the large-scale military operation in May to retake Sirte, which fell to Daesh last year.

This picture shows Libyan forces who are preparing an operation against Daesh in Sirte on August 29, 2016. ©Reuters

They entered the city in June and have managed to retake several residential districts since then.

Daesh has taken advantage of a chaos gripping Libya since 2011, when a NATO military intervention followed the 20111 uprising that led to the toppling and killing of the longtime dictator, Muammar Gaddafi.

Currently, foreign forces from several Western countries, including the United States, France and Britain, are in Libya in a purported fight against Daesh.

However, the Government of National Accord, which is recognized as the legitimate Libyan government by the US, France, Britain and the Unite Nations, has denounced the presence of foreign troops, describing the intervention as the violation of the North African country’s sovereignty.

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