Libyan government forces seize Isil headquarters after fierce fighting in battle for Sirte

FORCES loyal to Libya’s recognised government claimed another victory over Isil yesterday, announcing the capture of the terrorist movement’s headquarters in the city of Sirte.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Le- vant (Isil) had turned the Ouagadougou conference centre – once a showpiece of Col Muammar Gaddafi’s regime – into their local headquarters.

But government forces claimed to have captured the conference centre after fierce fighting. In recent weeks, they have launched an offensive de- signed to break Isil’s grip on Sirte. As they pressed into the city, the US has helped their advance with air strikes.

“The Ouagadougou centre is in our hands,” said a statement released by the operations centre of the forces deployed by the Government of National Accord, an internationally recognised administration leading the battle for Sirte.

But Isil still holds some residential areas of the city. Reda Issa, a spokesman for the government forces, cautioned that Isil had not yet been driven from Sirte and there would be no claim of victory. “The announcement of the liberation will only be made once the entire city is liberated,” he said.

The Ouagadougou conference centre has been a key objective of government forces. Isil originally seized Sirte in June last year, giving themselves a foothold on the Mediterranean coast, barely 300 miles from the Italian island of Sicily. But Isil has become a common enemy for armed factions in Libya, who have put aside their differences to fight the terrorists. In addition, Isil’s presence had the unintended consequence of spurring the international community to help assemble a recognised government in Libya’s capital, Tripoli.