IS bombers hit Libyan forces as Sirte battle rages

AFP, TRIPOLI: Forces allied with Libya’s unity government battled Sunday to retake the Islamic State group’s last redoubts in its stronghold of Sirte, facing fierce resistance including a series of suicide car bombings. The pro-government forces entered Sirte on Wednesday and have been advancing more quickly than expected against IS, which seized control of the coastal city last year and turned it into its main base of operations in North Africa. The loss of Sirte would be a major setback for IS, which has also been losing territory in Syria and Iraq where the jihadist group established its self-declared “caliphate” in 2014. Jihadist forces—surrounded in a densely populated area of around five square kilometres (two square miles) in the city centre—have been putting up fierce resistance and on Sunday carried out three suicide car bombings against pro-government fighters. “Three explosions from cars driven by Islamic State suicide bombers targeted our forces in Sirte,” Reda Issa, a spokesman for the unity government’s forces, told AFP.
Two of the bombers hit gatherings of pro-government forces and another hit a field hospital, he said. At least one person was killed and four wounded in the blasts, Issa said.
The attacks came a day after pro-government forces said they had recaptured the port in Sirte, the hometown of Libya’s ousted dictator Moamer Kadhafi, and residential areas in the city’s east.
The forces are allied with Libya’s Government of National Accord, which is backed by the international community as the country’s legitimate authority.
The GNA, led by prime minister-designate Fayez al-Sarraj, has been struggling for months to assert its authority in the face of rival administrations vying for power in the chaos of post-Kadhafi Libya.
The pro-GNA forces are mostly made up of militias from western cities, notably Misrata, and the guards of oil installations that IS has repeatedly tried to seize.
They have engaged in heavy street-to-street battles with the jihadists, deploying tanks, rocket launchers and artillery in the fight for the city.
The Misrata militia forces—who have an arsenal that includes MiG fighter jets and attack helicopters—have also carried out dozens of air raids against IS.
The operation announced Sunday on its Facebook page that it had launched fresh air strikes against IS positions and vehicles in central Sirte.
Much of the fighting has been around a sprawling Kadhafi-era conference centre which once hosted international summits but now houses an IS command centre.
IS has responded to the offensive with machineguns, mortar rounds and sniper fire, as well as bombings like Sunday’s suicide attacks.

IS bombers hit Libyan forces as Sirte battle rages

AFP, TRIPOLI: Forces allied with Libyas unity government battled Sunday to retake the Islamic State groups last redoubts in its stronghold of Sirte, facing fierce resistance including a series of suicide car bombings. The pro-government forces entered Sirte on Wednesday and have been advancing more quickly than expected against IS, which seized control of the coastal city last year and turned it into its main base of operations in North Africa. The loss of Sirte would be a major setback for IS, which has also been losing territory in Syria and Iraq where the jihadist group established its self-declared caliphate in 2014. Jihadist forcessurrounded in a densely populated area of around five square kilometres (two square miles) in the city centrehave been putting up fierce resistance and on Sunday carried out three suicide car bombings against pro-government fighters. Three explosions from cars driven by Islamic State suicide bombers targeted our forces in Sirte, Reda Issa, a spokesman for the unity governments forces, told AFP. Two of the bombers hit gatherings of pro-government forces and another hit a field hospital, he said. At least one person was killed and four wounded in the blasts, Issa said. The attacks came a day after pro-government forces said they had recaptured the port in Sirte, the hometown of Libyas ousted dictator Moamer Kadhafi, and residential areas in the citys east. The forces are allied with Libyas Government of National Accord, which is backed by the international community as the countrys legitimate authority. The GNA, led by prime minister-designate Fayez al-Sarraj, has been struggling for months to assert its authority in the face of rival administrations vying for power in the chaos of post-Kadhafi Libya. The pro-GNA forces are mostly made up of militias from western cities, notably Misrata, and the guards of oil installations that IS has repeatedly tried to seize. They have engaged in heavy street-to-street battles with the jihadists, deploying tanks, rocket launchers and artillery in the fight for the city. The Misrata militia forceswho have an arsenal that includes MiG fighter jets and attack helicoptershave also carried out dozens of air raids against IS. The operation announced Sunday on its Facebook page that it had launched fresh air strikes against IS positions and vehicles in central Sirte. Much of the fighting has been around a sprawling Kadhafi-era conference centre which once hosted international summits but now houses an IS command centre. IS has responded to the offensive with machineguns, mortar rounds and sniper fire, as well as bombings like Sundays suicide attacks.