Libyan forces close to securing last Daesh holdout in Sirte

Libyan forces said today they were close to securing a final patch of land where Daesh have been holding out in their former North African stronghold of Sirte, though there were reports of continuing skirmishes.

Daesh took over Sirte in early 2015, setting up its most important base outside the Middle East and extending its control along about 250 kilometres of Mediterranean coastline.

Forces led by brigades from the western city of Misrata launched a counter-attack against the jihadist group in May, and since 1 August the United States has carried out at least 470 airstrikes to support them.

Spokesman Rida Issa told Reuters that the Misrata-led forces “control all of Sirte’s Ghiza Bahriya neighbourhood and are still securing the area.”

The statement could not immediately be verified and there was no official announcement that Sirte had been taken. One field commander said there was still some fighting and Ghiza Bahriya was yet to be fully secured.

Earlier today, 34 Daesh fighters, including at least two senior commanders, surrendered to Libyan forces in the Ghiza Bahriya district, officials said.

At least six women and four children also left militant-held ground, said Mohamed Lajnef, a staff member at a field hospital outside Sirte.

Three of the Misrata-led forces were killed today and 17 were wounded, he said.

Militants have been clinging on in a few dozen buildings in Ghiza Bahriya for weeks. In recent days, Libyan forces say dozens of women and children have escaped or been freed from the area.