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The Libyan National Army, based in the east of the country, have captured the strategic coastal city of Sirte from the control of the Tripoli-based government.
The announcement comes amid a major offensive by the east-based forces to take Tripoli. The capital city is the seat of a rival Libyan government, which is supported by the United Nations.
Libya is currently governed by duelling authorities in the eastern Benghazi and in Tripoli in the West.
LNA commander Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar declared a “final” and decisive battle to take Tripoli last month. Fighting and shelling between the two sides has been raging there since April, with neither side making much progress.
Ahmed Al Mosmari, a spokesman for the LNA, announced Sirte had been taken at a press conference in the eastern city of Benghazi.
Capturing Sirte would be a major win for Field Marshal Haftar's forces, should they maintain control of the city, which is about 370 kilometres east of Tripoli.
Sirte residents confirmed that the city was now under the control of LNA fighters. Ahmed Awas, 42, a petroleum engineer who lives in central Sirte, said the sounds of gunfire could be heard in his neighbourhood on Monday afternoon. He said advancing battalions included fighters from the area.
The latest push for Sirte was over in a matter of hours, according to Mr Al Mosmari. He said that the city was taken Monday in a “lightning” offensive.
Sirte was the home town of former president Muammar Qaddafi. He was killed in 2011 after an international military coalition helped Libyan rebels oust him from power.
After that, Sirte was controlled for a time by Islamist militants who pledged allegiance to ISIS, until being defeated in 2016.
Libya’s east-based government is backed by the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, as well as France and Russia.
The Tripoli-based government receives aid from Turkey, Qatar and Italy.
The fighting threatens to plunge oil-rich Libya into another bout of violence similar in scale to the 2011 conflict.
The announcement comes amid a major offensive by the east-based forces to take Tripoli. The capital city is the seat of a rival Libyan government, which is supported by the United Nations.
Libya is currently governed by duelling authorities in the eastern Benghazi and in Tripoli in the West.
LNA commander Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar declared a “final” and decisive battle to take Tripoli last month. Fighting and shelling between the two sides has been raging there since April, with neither side making much progress.
Ahmed Al Mosmari, a spokesman for the LNA, announced Sirte had been taken at a press conference in the eastern city of Benghazi.
Capturing Sirte would be a major win for Field Marshal Haftar's forces, should they maintain control of the city, which is about 370 kilometres east of Tripoli.
Sirte residents confirmed that the city was now under the control of LNA fighters. Ahmed Awas, 42, a petroleum engineer who lives in central Sirte, said the sounds of gunfire could be heard in his neighbourhood on Monday afternoon. He said advancing battalions included fighters from the area.
The latest push for Sirte was over in a matter of hours, according to Mr Al Mosmari. He said that the city was taken Monday in a “lightning” offensive.
Sirte was the home town of former president Muammar Qaddafi. He was killed in 2011 after an international military coalition helped Libyan rebels oust him from power.
After that, Sirte was controlled for a time by Islamist militants who pledged allegiance to ISIS, until being defeated in 2016.
Libya’s east-based government is backed by the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, as well as France and Russia.
The Tripoli-based government receives aid from Turkey, Qatar and Italy.
The fighting threatens to plunge oil-rich Libya into another bout of violence similar in scale to the 2011 conflict.
