On 20 September, the Libyan National Army’s (LNA) 128th Battalion and the Tariq Ibn Ziyad Brigade uncovered an ISIS camp in a cave near Harawah village, east of Sirte. During the operation security forces cleared multiple vehicle borne improvised explosive devices.
The operation was conducted following information provided by Masoud Belhassen al-Nawfali (aka Jema’a Masoud Al-Hassan Al-Qarqa’i), who was captured by the 128 Brigade on October 14. Al-Nawfali is thought to be the leader of ISIS in the Nawfaliyah area and believed to have been involved in attacks on LNA positions in Nawfaliyah, Aqila, Qana, Awjlah, and the 60th and 90th checkpoints.
On 16 October, local security forces undertook a raid in Bani Walid, arresting three suspected ISIS fighters.