[ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] Forces loyal to Libya’s UN-backed unity government pushed Sunday into the last areas of Sirte held by ISIS in what was the krazed killers’ coastal stronghold, a front man said."Our forces entered the last areas held by ISIS in Sirte: district number one and district number three," said Rida Issa, using an Arabic acronym for ISIS.
"The final battle for Sirte has started," said the front man for forces backing the Tripoli
...a confusing city, one end of which is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn...
-based Government of National Accord.
Meanwhile,
...back at the saw mill, Scarface Al had tied Little Nell to the log and was about to turn on the buzz saw...
18 fighters loyal to Libya’s UN-backed unity government were killed and 120 others maimed in festivities in Sirte, a medical source said.
A field hospital for the forces backing the GNA listed the names of the 18 fighters killed in the coastal city.
About 1,000 pro-GNA fighters were taking part in the offensive, he said, adding a tank had destroyed a bomb-rigged car before ISIS Death Eaters could use it to target the forces at the start of the assault.
An AFP photographer saw several tanks and armed vehicles move towards district number one and heard gunfire and rocket kabooms as they entered the northern neighborhood.
The pro-GNA forces said on their Facebook page that the offensive came "after air strikes overnight by the warplanes of international support."
Pro-GNA forces, backed since August 1 by US air strikes, began an assault in mid-May to expel ISIS from Sirte.
The Death Eaters seized control of the city, which had been the hometown of Libya’s slain dictator Muammar Qadaffy
...who single-handedly turned a moderately prosperous kingdom into a dictator's fantasyland and was then murdered by his indignant subjects 42 years later...
, in June 2015.
The pro-GNA forces fought their way into Sirte on June 9 and seized the krazed killers’ headquarters at the Ouagadougou conference center on August 10.
Since entering the city, they have faced a barrage of sniper fire, suicide kabooms and booby traps, pinning down the Death Eaters in a downtown area near the sea.
More than 350 pro-GNA fighters have been killed and nearly 2,000 maimed in the battle, according to medical sources. ISIS casualty figures are unavailable.
More from Libya Herald
Tripoli, 28 August 2016:
Bunyan Marous today fighter paid a heavy price as they advanced on the last two IS-held Sirte districts. At least 35 were killed and more than 180 injured. Throughout the day, Misrata Central hospital reported the death toll mounting.
BM media said that the terrorists had launched five car bombs. It appears that only one of them was destroyed before it could do any damage. This weapon, together with IEDs, booby traps and sniper fire has again accounted for the majority of BM casualties.
| Some BM fighters still think the most effective way of attacking is to run into the middle of an open area and let off a belt of ammunition in the direction of the enemy. |
BM says that around 1,000 fighters are closing in on districts 1 and 3 where IS fighters are still holding out. The break in the fighting since Thursday was reportedly to allow wives and children of terrorist fights to leave, though there is no clear evidence that this has happened. The battle for Sirte has progressed with a series of pauses of several days in between attacks.
The final stages of the advance are proving expensive in human lives. It now seems that more than 400, mostly Misratan fighters have been killed and well over 2,000 wounded since May. As of yesterday, BM was admitting that 370 men had been died but hospital sources suggest the toll is higher.
Approaching 100 US air strikes by fast jets, drones and more recently helicopter gunships have targeted IS strong points and suspected vehicle bombs. Overnight there were more air attacks, very probably by American warplanes, to soften up the terrorists before this morning’s assault. Through the morning, a black pall of smoke was rising from within IS territory.
Fighting had actually begun last night in District 2. One report said that the terrorists had tried an abortive counterattack. A maritime blockade, led by a converted Misratan Free Zone tug has sought to stop terrorists escaping or being resupplied by sea.
From Libya Observer
Death toll of Sirte battle against IS terrorists rises to 450
The spokesman of the Misrata Central Hospital, Akram Gliwan, said the number of deaths for Al-Bunyan AL-Marsoos operation since its start in May has risen to 450 fighters so far, adding that the hospital has hospitalized over 2,100 injured fighters up until August 27.Gliwan said the hospital has very limited equipment and very insufficient capacity that allows it to hospitalize no more than 120 injuries (with only 120 beds), yet this capacity has been exceeded more than once over the last three months.
Speaking on the phone with The Libya Observer, Gliwan said the Misrata Central Hospital is suffering from acute shortages in medical staff and nurses, which made mandatory for the hospital to fall back on the medical students instead. He added that almost all of the medicines stock of the hospital has been used; leaving the hospital completely reliant on the aids it receives from private and public sectors and civil societies.