On 13 December a group of brigades from Misrata in conjunction with Ansar al-Sharia in Sirte began advancing on the oil crescent in an attempt to ‘liberate’ the country’s energy facilities.

Haftar is still battling it out against Islamist militants in Benghazi. This week saw the Benghazi Security Directorate, as well as local police elements, being reactivated.

Heavy fighting continues for control of the port of Benghazi.

The battle between Haftar’s Operation Dignity forces and Benghazi Revolutionaries Shura Council (BRSC) continues without any restraint and focuses increasingly on the port.

Operation Dignity forces including the crack Sa’iqa 21 battallion are facing entrenched elements of the Benghazi Revolutionaries Shura Council.

Despite Haftar’s exaggerations, the Benghazi Revolutionaries Shura Council is clearly feeling the heat. It has lost many of its fighters and it was reported this week that hundreds of families of shura council members had fled the city and were seeking refuge in the west of Libya.

Militant Islamist forces are already engaged in attempts to retake some of the areas that they have lost over the last week and clashes are still ongoing.

Despite Operation Dignity’s claims to the contrary, it is still struggling to take over certain camps belonging to the Benghazi Revolutionaries Shura Council forces, such as the main base of the 17th February Brigade.

This week has seen further bloody clashes erupt in Benghazi as the Benghazi Revolutionaries Shura Council has continued in its bid to try to take Benina airport from Haftar’s Operation Dignity forces.

A string of suicide bombs in Benghazi struck a major blow to the forces of General Khalifa Haftar and his Operation Dignity campaign this week. The use of suicide attacks marks a shift in tactics by the Benghazi Revolutionaries Shura Council and suggests that other copycat operations could be on the way.

Following on from Benghazi’s ‘Bloody Friday’ last week when ten people including two youth peace activists were shot dead, there have been more targeted assassinations in Benghazi this week.

Benghazi has been rocked by a series of assassinations, many of them carried out on Friday 17th September. These assassinations caused a particular stir because among the dead were two well-known young peace activists who were aged just 17 and 18.

The battle in Benghazi goes on as Islamist militants try to dislodge General Khalifa Haftar’s Operation Dignity forces from Benina Airport and surrounding areas. Although Haftar is putting up a good fight, it is clear that the Islamists have the upper hand.

General Khalifa Haftar is pushing on with his seemingly interminable and incompetent fight against Islamist militants in the east.

Operation Libya Dawn forces have announced the creation of a Greater Tripoli Revolutionaries Shura Council despite Misratan reluctance. It is clearly meant to serve as a counterpart to the Benghazi Revolutionaries Shura Council, the umbrella group for Islamist militants fighting against Haftar in Benghazi.

Operation Libya Dawn forces took Tripoli airport on 23 August and are now in control of the capital. Islamist forces also appear to be closing in on Operation Dignity forces in Benghazi.