by Jason | Jun 13, 2016 | ISIS
GNA-aligned forces from Misrata managed to take full control of Sirte port’s and eastern coastline in Sawawa on 10 June. Libyan navy vessels blockaded the port as GNA forces advanced from the southeast, aided by airstrikes throughout last week. ISIS is currently...
by Jason | Jun 13, 2016 | Libyan actors
As militias nominally aligned with the Government of National Accord (GNA) made highly impressive gains against ISIS in Sirte last week, and a degree of euphoria has gripped international actors and some GNA supporters, these gains have not automatically led to...
by Jason | Jun 13, 2016 | Other Jihadi Actors
Over the last week, there has been increasing conflict between jihadi actors and the Libyan National Army (LNA) in eastern Libya. The LNA offensive in Benghazi continues to face fierce resistance from ISIS militants, Ansar Al Sharia (AAS) fighters and the Benghazi...
by Jason | Jun 13, 2016 | International actors
Despite the steady advance on Sirte by the Bunyan Marsus coalition, there were no significant actions taken by the Western international community last week. Most notably, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution to extend the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL)...
by Jason | Jun 6, 2016 | ISIS
The Government of National Accord’s Misratan-led Bunyan Marsus operation room continued to make significant strides against ISIS this week, advancing to within two kilometres southwest of Sirte, and forcing ISIS to retreat towards the city. However, this does...
by Jason | Jun 6, 2016 | Libyan actors
The Government of National Accord’s (GNA) establishment of the Adjabiya-Sirte operations room to coordinate the anti-ISIS campaign from the east, and de-facto reinstatement of Ibrahim Jadhran as head of the Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG) in the central region, in...
by Jason | Jun 6, 2016 | Other Jihadi Actors
On 1 June, a group composed of hardline Islamist revolutionaries from Benghazi and Ajdabiya issued a televised statement, aired by former Libya Dawn mouthpiece Al-Nabaa, declaring the establishment of the “Benghazi Defense Brigades” (BDB). The BDB claimed...
by Jason | Jun 6, 2016 | International actors
The European Union (EU) is pushing for increased authority to enforce the existing embargo on arms shipments Libya. Speaking to the UN Security Council on 6 June, EU Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini urged members to authorize EU naval operations in the...
by Jason | May 30, 2016 | ISIS
ISIS control of Libya’s coastline has been reduced to approximately 200 km east and west of Sirte. Significant gains made by the Government of National Accord’s (GNA) forces converging on Sirte from the west and southwest have thrown the ISIS rank and file into...
by Jason | May 30, 2016 | International actors
International support has also been key to this week’s explosion of momentum on the western front against ISIS. The spokesperson of the Government of National Accord’s (GNA) Sirte Operations Room said they have started to receive financial and logistical support from...
