Libya pro-govt forces attack last IS bastion in Sirte

September 04, 2016 00:27

Forces loyal to Libya's Government of National Accord said they launched a new attack on Saturday on diehards of the Islamic State group in the coastal city of Sirte, AFP has reported.

Backed by weeks of United States air strikes, the pro-GNA forces have recaptured nearly all of what had been the jihadists' main stronghold in North Africa.

The city's fall would be a huge setback to IS's efforts to expand its self-proclaimed "caliphate" beyond Syria and Iraq where the jihadists have also suffered losses.

"The fighting has begun. We are attacking the last Daesh positions in district three" where the jihadists are cornered, a GNA fighter told AFP, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

The GNA forces media centre confirmed on Facebook that the new push had begun to retake Sirte, located 450 kilometres east of the capital Tripoli.

"Our forces are advancing inside the areas where Daesh is, in district three, and so far have taken control of" two banks and a hotel, the media centre said.

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