ISIS in action

BM forces are making slow but steady gains against ISIS in Sirte however they continue to suffer casualties and there are worrying signs that ISIS still has the capacity to resist and attack elsewhere, with ISIS posting pictures of checkpoints to the south of Sirte.

BM forces said last week that the area of Sirte controlled by ISIS fighters is now ‘less than the size of a football pitch’, while Trump’s anti-ISIS stance mean both pro-GNA and pro-Haftar forces are hopeful that they will receive support from the new US administration in their fights against ISIS and other jihadis.

BM forces stormed ISIS’s stronghold of al-Jiza al-Bahriya in Sirte last week, evacuating families used as human shields. BM forces are expected to declare victory against ISIS in Sirte soon.

In Sirte, the BM spokesperson also said BM forces are allowing any civilians still living in the densely populated al-Jiza al-Bahriya area to evacuate before they make their ‘final’ assault.

In Sirte, the Misratan-led Bunyan al-Marsus (BM) forces, who are aligned with the GNA, have continued their assault against the remaining ISIS fighters in the city, while in Benghazi ISIS fighters engaged the LNA in Gawarsha.

Battles continued last week between the Government of National Accord (GNA)-aligned, Misratan-led ‘Bunyan Marsus’ (BM) forces and Islamic State (ISIS) in Sirte. Despite repeated announcements of the city’s imminent liberation by BM forces, the end does not yet appear to be in sight.

ISIS forces are still entrenched within a roughly one square kilometre enclave in north-east Sirte and continue to inflict casualties on their Misratan opponents through their use of snipers and explosive devices. This week, the Misratan forces made further gains against the remaining ISIS fighters, with support from US air strikes.

After a lull in fighting last week, Bunyan al-Marsus forces launched a fresh offensive on ISIS-held areas of Sirte. They sustained heavy losses, while in an area of the city supposedly secured by BM forces, a Dutch journalist was killed by an ISIS sniper.

In Sirte, Misratan forces continue to battle ISIS fighters who remain barricaded in their stronghold in north-eastern Sirte. The Misratans suffered heavy losses last week after a renewed push to take the ISIS-held area, while ISIS fighters also launched a surprise attack against Sirte port.