(Author: Libyan Gazette Editorial Staff)
Libyan forces in Sirte have taken control of an area near the seaside in Jizah neighbourhood leaving ISIS fighters with very little room to move around, said Saleh Al-Taweel, a spokesperson for the Libyan forces media centre, on Tuesday
According to Al-Taweel, Libyan soldiers were able to liberate Jizah neighbourhood after corning ISIS fighters along two sides, allowing them to take over half of the neighbourhood.
“Now they have to surrender, commit suicide or wait to be killed by our forces,” said Al-Taweel.
The Libyan brigades loyal to the Government of National Accord (GNA), were able to search through and clear 20 buildings in the seaside neighborhood that they recently liberated.
“15 IS militants, who were hampering the advance of our infantry forces, were killed while the combing through the buildings,” added Al-Taweel.
In a press briefing on Wednesday, spokesperson Al-Taweel said the GNA loyal forces were able to clear streets, alleys, trenches and the tunnels that ISIS fighters made in the Jizah neighbourhood.
ISIS moved into Sirte, which had about 80,000 residents, in 2015 claiming dominance over the Libyan coastal city. ISIS had aims to expand its rule across Libya and eventually to Europe.
The terrorist group was able to make its way into Sirte after Libya fell into political chaos following the 2011 uprising that brought down the Gaddafi regime.
In May, Libyan brigades loyal to the GNA, many of them from Misrata, launched an offensive against ISIS in Sirte. The Libyan government made a request for military aerial support, and in August the US military responded by launching an airstrike campaign against ISIS. So far the US has launched more than 360 air strikes.