Libyan fighters say coastal city theirs

CAIRO — A Libyan armed group on Friday claimed victory over Italian-backed militias paid to stem the flow of migrants to Europe from the coastal city of Sabratha, a major launchpad for the voyage across the Mediterranean.

The Anti-ISIS Operations Room, created last year to clear Sabratha of Islamic State militants, said in a statement that it and their allies have taken control of the city from the two militias: the Martyr Anas al-Dabashi militia, better known as al-Ammu’s militia, and Brigade 48. The weekslong battle killed dozens and displaced thousands of families.

The Sabratha Municipal Council confirmed the city’s capture and congratulated the anti-Islamic State group on its victory.

After a popular uprising in 2011 that plunged the country into chaos, Libya has become a main migrant transit point to Europe as traffickers have exploited the security vacuum.

Over the summer, the two militias struck a deal with Italy through the U.N.-backed Government of National Accord to stop facilitating the flow of migrant boats to the country. Under the deal, the flow of migrants has significantly dropped since July compared with the previous year.

The U.N. migration agency said more than 139,000 migrants and refugees have arrived in Europe by sea since the start of 2017 to Wednesday, less than half the figure recorded during the same period last year.

But the deal triggered a backlash from other militias, who feared the empowerment of the al-Ammu and Brigade 48 militias at their expense. Neither militia could be reached for comment.