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Libyan forces retake port in Daesh bastion of Sirte
For weeks, government forces have fought to dislodge Daesh, pounding the port city from the air and land as ground troops wage street battles
Libyan forces also retook residential areas in the east of Sirte, which for the past year has been the main Daesh base in the country
Forces loyal to Libya's internationally backed government say they have recaptured both the port and airport of Sirte from Daesh, forcing the armed group to retreat.
The Libyan forces also retook residential areas in the east of Sirte, which for the past year has been the main Daesh base in the North African country, a spokesman for the forces, Rida Issa, told the AFP news agency on Saturday.
“Daesh fighters are now surrounded in a densely populated area of around five square kilometres inside the city, where they are laying booby traps,” he said.
The fall of Sirte, the hometown of ousted leader Muammar Gaddafi, would be a major setback for Daesh, who have also lost territory in Syria and Iraq, where they have declared a "caliphate".
"We will liberate the city of Sirte from Daesh and its terrorism. We will clean up all of Libya and defeat anyone who opposes us in our country," unity government fighter Omar Rhaal said.
Foreign intelligence services estimate Daesh has 5,000 fighters in Libya, but its strength inside Sirte, which Daesh has held since June 2015, is unclear.
A total of 137 UN-backed government forces have been killed and 500 wounded since the beginning of the operation on May 12, according to a medical official in the western city of Misrata.
