Qatar- 34 Libya unity forces killed in Sirte clashes with IS: new toll
Date
6/22/2016 7:24:17 AM
(MENAFN- The Peninsula) A handout picture released on June 19, 2016 by the official Facebook page of the media centre of the forces of Libya''s Government of National Accord''s (GNA) military operation against the Islamic State group in Sirte reportedly shows the gun of a warship carrying fighters allied to Libya''s UN-backed GNA off the coast of the Libyan city of Sirte as they battle Islamic State (IS) group fighters for control of the coastal city. IS tried to break a siege on their last holdouts in Sirte but were pushed back by fighters allied to Libya''s unity government, a spokesman said. IS fighters have been pinned down in parts of Sirte since forces allied to the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) launched an operation to dislodge them from the coastal city last month. Via AFP
Clashes on Tuesday between Libyan pro-government forces and the Islamic State group killed 34 loyalist fighters and wounded 100 others in Sirte, a medical official said, updating an earlier toll.
Speaking from the western city of Misrata, the source said the death toll had risen from 18 to 34, with the number of wounded increasing from 70 to 100.
Pinned down around Sirte by forces loyal to the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord, the jihadists have launched counter-attacks in recent weeks to defend their Libyan stronghold.
The forces loyal to the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) said in a statement that the fighting took place in several parts of Sirte, where jihadists are pinned down in pockets of the coastal city.
The GNA forces said "dozens" of IS fighters had also been killed in the past 24 hours.
The anti-IS forces launched an operation in May to retake Sirte, hometown of the ousted and slain dictator Moamer Kadhafi which the jihadists have controlled since June last year.
The pro-GNA forces said Tuesday that their "intelligence network is in full swing in preparation for the decisive battle" against IS fighters in the city, after repelling multiple counter-attacks.
The statement said fighters were targeting IS-held areas of Sirte with heavy artillery while loyalist aircraft were carrying out sorties every day to strike IS or carry out reconnaissance missions.
IS fighters "are besieged in a small area of Sirte and although they have sought to break out our forces have repelled all attempts," the statement said.
It said that the jihadists had barricaded themselves in residential buildings and deployed snipers and explosive devices to fend off pro-GNA forces.
IS has hit back with a string of suicide car bombings in a bid to defend their stronghold on the Mediterranean coast.
At least 184 loyalist troops have been killed and hundreds wounded since the start of the offensive to capture Sirte, 450 kilometres (280 miles) east of Tripoli.
An unknown number of jihadists have been killed.
AFP