Over 5,000 families flee Da'esh control in Libyan coastal city

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that more than 5,000 families are reported to have fled Da'esh control in Sirte, a Libyan coastal city, a UN spokesman said here Friday.

Many of them have gone to Bani Walid, Tobruk, Misrata and Tripoli, Stephane Dujarric said at a daily news briefing here.

The United Nations, including the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO), are providing assistance to families in Bani Walid and Misrata, such basic household items, water and sanitation support, and emergency medical kits, he said.

Da'esh is also known as the Islamic State (IS), which controls part of territory in Libya, Iraq and Syria.

In mid-March, violent clashes broke out between IS militants and Libya dawn forces in the city of Sirte. The clashes killed 20 militants and two others of Libya dawn force, according to a military source.

Libya dawn, which consisted of Islamist armed groups, has recently been attempting to gain control of Sirte, a city 450 km east of the Libyan capital Tripoli.

Libya has witnessed a drastic escalation of violence after the 2011 turmoil which toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi.

The Islamist militants and pro-secular militia have been vying for cities and towns for months, causing a security havoc in the north African country. Endit