Libya government forces fight the last 'IS' bastion in Sirte
September 4, 2016
Forces loyal to Libya's unity government have launched a new attack on the "Islamic State" group in the coastal city of Sirte. Recapturing the city would mean a major blow to IS.
Image: picture alliance/abaca/AA
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After weeks of US airstrikes, fighters loyal to the Government of National Accord have recaptured nearly all of what had been an "Islamic State" (IS) stronghold in Libya. The GNA media center reported that the final push had begun to retake the city of Sirte, which is located 450 kilometers (280 miles) east of the capital, Tripoli.
"The fighting has begun. We are attacking the last Daesh positions," a GNA fighter told the AFP news agency, using the Arabic term for IS. Meanwhile the media center reported that it had thwarted a suicide bombing.
The fall of Sirte would be a major setback to IS efforts to expand beyond Syria and Iraq, where the group has suffered losses in recent weeks and months.
Liberation of Sirte
Ten members of the GNA forces were killed and 60 wounded in clashes with IS, a doctor at hospital in the city of Misrata reported. The city, located halfway between the Sirte and Tripoli, has become the center where casualties are taken.
More than 400 fighters loyal to the government have been killed and about 2,500 wounded in total since the offensive against Sirte began almost four months ago. The fighting reportedly eased after sunset, according to a journalist who spoke with AFP, with sporadic gunfire on the ground and military aircraft still heard overhead.
The embattled city of Sirte is also the birthplace of former Libyan dictator Moammar GadhafiImage: Reuters/H. Amara
Last weekend, forces loyal to the UN-backed GNA nevertheless reported last weekend that they were preparing to "liberate" the entire city after seizing several IS positions - including the group's headquarters.
On Saturday, the US Africa Command reported that US drones, helicopters and bombers had carried out a total of 108 airstrikes against IS in Sirte since the US campaign began on August 1. According to Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis, fewer than 200 IS jihadists remained, and they should all be surrounded by security forces.
The GNA continues to struggle to assert its control over all of Libya, as sectarian differences have continued to drive various groups apart since the death of former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.
The battle for Sirte
Libyan forces have been fighting since May to retake the town of Sirte from "Islamic State" (IS) fighters. DW photographer Karlos Zurutuza spent time with pro-government forces and portrays the battle to regain control.
Image: DW/K. Zurutuza
The last assault
The government offensive on Sirte began on May 12 in an attempt to retake the "Islamic State" (IS) group's main stronghold in Libya. The operation, "Solid Structure," is being led by the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) and backed by US airstrikes.
Image: DW/K. Zurutuza
Door-to-door war
After Libyan forces seized locations all around the coastal city, clashes turned into a door-to-door war. IS fighters are currently surrounded in two districts in downtown Sirte, which are also being targeted by Libyan navy vessels. Officials have denied there are foreign boots on the ground. "Only Libyans are fighting on the ground," Mohammed Al-Ghasri, an army spokesman, told DW.
Image: DW/K. Zurutuza
A battering ram against IS
While US airstrikes are playing a major role in the offensive, these Russian-made tanks have turned into an indispensable weapon against snipers' positions, car bombs as well as Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) which litter downtown Sirte.
Image: DW/K. Zurutuza
Take no prisoners
Libyan fighters claim that it's impossible to take IS prisoners. According to Libyan forces, many of them wear explosive vests and prefer to die in combat than being captured alive. Over 400 Libyan fighters have died in Sirte since the operation began in May. The enemy has not disclosed their number of casualties.
Image: DW/K. Zurutuza
Mixed bag
Although a majority of the Libyan forces deployed in Sirte are from Misrata - 230 kilometers west of Sirte - there are also fighters from other regions in Libya. The strength of IS has triggered concerns in a country which has three governments - one in the east, one in the west and the UN-backed executive - each relying on their own armed groups.
Image: DW/K. Zurutuza
Coping with an emergency
Doctors in Sirte work as volunteers in exhausting shifts to cope with the influx of wounded fighters. Ambulances and improvised hospitals like this one are also recurrent targets for IS snipers and car bombs.
Image: DW/K. Zurutuza
A never-ending nightmare
Doctors on the ground say they have seen several fighters who have been shot in the throat. "Some patients have recovered from chest shots, or even head shots, so snipers are seemingly aiming at their throats. If they survive they'll be quadriplegic, meaning that they'll never be able to fight again," Doctor Mustafa Shorfu told DW from Sirte's main hospital.
Image: DW/K. Zurutuza
Flying out the wounded
The most seriously injured are transferred daily by air to Misrata. Senior officials on the ground told DW that combat operations in Sirte were mostly suspended this week due to the high number of injured treated at Misrata's hospital. Booby-trap devices in areas formerly under IS control are reportedly causing huge loses among the fighters.
Image: DW/K. Zurutuza
Missing home
There is no telephone network in Sirte so during the rare lulls in fighting, fighters from neighboring areas such as Misrata choose to go home to visit their families. The ones who stay have to live with a lack of any modern amenities amid the debris of the battle.
Image: DW/K. Zurutuza
Imminent liberation?
Libyan fighters on the ground are convinced they will soon retake full control of Sirte. "We think there are no more than 50 of them [IS fighters - the ed.] left inside the area under their control so we may liberate the city in the forthcoming days," Omar Zidani, a fighter from Misrata, told DW.
