Off the wire
• U.S. stocks open higher after jobs report  • Czech Republic sends surgical team to Iraq  • 1st LD-Writethru: China commemorates late leader Wan Li's 100th birthday anniversary  • 1st Ld-Writethru: President Xi calls for efforts to make reforms more effective  • Laos to compete at regional vovinam championship  • Xi congratulates new Uzbek president on election  • German construction industry expects sustained boom: association  • BMW to test driverless cars in Munich in 2017  • Ukraine expects to increase grain, legumes output in 2016  • Russia confirms female medic killed in Syria's Aleppo hospital shelling  
You are here: 　 Home

Libyan pro-gov't forces take over Sirte from IS

Xinhua, December 5, 2016 Adjust font size:

Libyan UN-backed government's forces announced on Monday they have taken over the entire city of Sirte from the Islamic State (IS).

"IS fighters collapsed completely and dozens of them surrendered to our troops," the media office of the government troops posted on its official Facebook page. "Our forces are dealing with IS militants in their last stronghold in the Ghiza Bahriya neighborhood."

The media office also said that the government troops managed to rescue four women on Monday morning, and "12 IS members surrendered to our troops."

The government of national accord launched a military campaign against the increasing dominance of IS in Sirte in May. The violent battles have killed and injured hundreds of the government fighters, according to medical sources.

Sirte, some 450 km east the capital Tripoli, was controlled by IS for over a year before the government's military campaign. The terrorist group has claimed responsibility for most of suicide bombings and killings of foreigners in Libya. Endit