Libyan troops within the administrative borders of the city of Sirte.
The Libyan army made significant gains against ISIS forces on Wednesday after troops fighting in the Government of National Accord’s (GNA) military campaign against ISIS, called Operation Strong Foundation, killed 100 ISIS fighters in the region around Sirte.
The operations room announced on its Facebook page that ISIS stronghold Sirte “has been completely vacated from these thugs. All ISIS administration offices have been shut down.”
General Mohammad al-Ghusri, a spokesman for Operation Strong Foundation, said that Libyan troops were able to secure the Al-Baghla checkpoint, which is 60 kilometers from Sirte, after violent clashes with ISIS forces on Wednesday.
Al-Ghasri said that Libyan forces were advancing rapidly toward ISIS held Sirte after securing Al-Baghla and capturing 12 ISIS fighters.
“We are making remarkable advances against the radical groups of ISIS and we are eyeing advance toward Sirte, ISIS’s stronghold.” Al-Ghasri said. .
Libyan forces said that their troops were positioned outside of Sirte, and reported that a large number of ISIS fighters fled the city after ISIS militants experienced heavy losses in Wednesday’s battle.
The Libyan air force carried out six airstrikes on key ISIS locations after recapturing Al-Baghlah checkpoint, which caused the ISIS fighters to abandon their positions.
Libyan forces were also able to dismantle at least eight bombs planted by ISIS fighters in yesterday’s battle to target Libyan soldiers on their route to Sirte.
After ISIS forces overran the Abu Grein checkpoint on May 5, General Khalifa Haftar has repeatedly claimed that his forces were preparing to launch an offensive against the extremist group’s stronghold in Sirte, however, his actions since have proved otherwise.
Currently Haftar’s militia is positioned in Mrada, located 685 kilometers away from Sirte, which shows that Haftar has no intention of fighting ISIS in Sirte. Sources are stating that his intention is to position his forces to take control of Libya’s oil fields.
In addition, Haftar has also launched Operation Volcano against the Derna Shura Council, who have been instrumental in driving out ISIS fighters from the coastal city, and yesterday his commander in Chief Abdul Razak Al-Nazhuri announced that the “Libyan National Army” was only 10 kilometres away from Tripoli and would be liberating the capital soon, in what appeared to be an attempt to distract the Libyan armed forces from the war against ISIS.
Libyan troops within the administrative borders of the city of Sirte.