Forces loyal to Libya’s UN-backed unity government yesterday pushed into the last areas of Sirte held by the Islamic State group in what was the militants’ coastal stronghold.
The battle for the hometown of Libya’s slain dictator Muammar Gaddafi was launched more than three months ago by forces loyal to the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord.
IS captured the Mediterranean city in June 2015, sparking fears they would use it as a launchpad for attacks on Europe.
“The final battle for Sirte has started,” said Reda Issa, a spokesman for the pro-GNA forces, as loyalist forces thrust into two districts of the city where IS still holds positions.
About 1,000 pro-GNA fighters were taking part in the offensive against “district number one and district number two”, in northern and eastern Sirte respectively, he said.
An AFP photographer saw several tanks and armed vehicles move towards district number one and heard gunfire and rocket explosions as they entered the area.
“Fierce street battles” took place during the day with pro-GNA forces using weaponry including heavy artillery, the photographer said.
He said the fighting later became more sporadic.
Late yesterday, a loyalist field commander, Hisham Abdel Atti, said pro-GNA forces had seized “two thirds of district number one and large parts of district number three”.
The militants are “retreating”, he said in remarks carried by the media centre dedicated to the Sirte offensive.
At least 34 loyalists were killed yesterday and 150 wounded, a field hospital for the pro-GNA forces said.
The AFP photographer saw several wounded men being evacuated to the field hospital.
The bodies of two IS fighters lay on a street inside district number one, he said.
The pro-GNA forces said on Facebook the offensive came “after air strikes overnight” and as they pressed the assault the militants countered with car bombs.
“The Daesh gangs committed mass suicide today when they sent five car bombs and a suicide bomber to try and stop our advancing forces,” a statement said without elaborating.
Since August 1, US warplanes have backed the assault to expel IS from Sirte, and as of August 24 had carried out 82 strikes, according to the US Africa Command. The AFP photographer reported no air strikes yesterday.
The pro-GNA forces fought their way into Sirte on June 9 and two months later seized the militants’ headquarters at the Ouagadougou conference centre, pinning down IS fighters near the sea.
But their advance has been slowed by snipers, suicide bombings and booby traps.
Loyalist forces are mostly militias from western cities that have sided with the unity government of prime minister-designate Fayez al-Sarraj and the guards of oil installations that IS has repeatedly tried to seize.
Ahead of yesterday’s assault, they prepared their tanks for inspection, cleaned their weapons and deployed on the outskirts of Sirte and around the two districts.
“I’m cleaning my weapon and getting it ready for the decisive battle,” one fighter, Osama Mohamed Mosbah, said.
Sirte had been tense but calm since Thursday.