ISIL loses Libya bastion of Sirte

Fighters of Libyan forces allied with the U.N.-backed government gather as they advance against Islamic State holdouts in Ghiza Bahriya district in Sirte, Libya December 1, 2016. REUTERS/Ismail ZitounyShow less

Tripoli // Forces loyal to Libya’s UN-backed government said on Monday they had seized full control of Sirte from ISIL after the extremists fought for monthsto hang on to their bastion.

The battle for the coastal city, which was the last significant territory held by ISIL in Libya, cost the lives of hundreds of loyalist troops and an unknown number of ISIL fighters.

The offensive was backed by a US bombing campaign launched in August, which as of December 1 had seen American warplanes, drones and helicopters conduct 470 strikes.

“Our forces have total control of Sirte,” Reda Issa, a spokesman for pro-government forces, said . “Our forces saw Daesh totally collapse.”

Forces allied with the country’s unity government launched the offensive to retake Sirte on May 12, quickly seizing large areas of the city and cornering the militants.

But ISIL put up fierce resistance with suicide car bombings, snipers and improvised explosive devices.

“Dozens of them have given themselves up to our forces,” said a statement on the loyalist forces’ official Facebook page.

The capture of Sirte boosts the authority of the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), which was launched in Tripoli in March but whose legitimacy is contested by a rival administration based in eastern Libya.

Libya descended into chaos following the Nato-backed ousting of Muammar Qaddafi in 2011, with rival administrations emerging and well-armed militias vying for control of the country’s vast oil wealth.

The infighting and lawlessness allowed extremist groups such as ISIL to seize several coastal regions, giving the extremists a toehold on Europe’s doorstep.

The fall of Sirte – Qaddafi’s hometown – represents a major setback for ISIL, which has also faced a series of military defeats in Syria and Iraq.

“It could cause a momentary loss of traction, but a lot will depend on what happens in Syria and Iraq and whether the ungoverned spaces in Libya will remain such,” said Mattia Toaldo, a Libya expert with the European Council of Foreign Relations.

Mr Toaldo said ISIL’s failure to hold Sirte was due in part to the group’s lack of resources in Libya.

“They didn’t manage to seize any considerable source of revenue,” he said. “What they found in the banks in Sirte was not comparable to what they found in Mosul, nor was there an equivalent weapons stockpile.”

The fight for Sirte took far longer than originally planned, but signs emerged in recent days that ISIL fighters were about to capitulate.

The Pentagon last week said that ISIL holdouts were staging a “last stand” in their former stronghold.

And pro-GNA forces on Sunday said they had arrested several extremists attempting to swim to safety.

*Agence France-Presse