Action 18 Oct 16

Oct 18, 2016 | ISIS

On 14 October, BM forces stormed the ‘Campo’ area between the First and Third Residential Districts.  ISIS have been using this area to flank BM fighters as they attempt to surround ISIS’ enclave in the Third Residential District. 14 BM fighters died and 35 were injured before BM forces managed to take control of the Campo neighbourhood from ISIS fighters. On 16 October, BM forces advanced further inside al-Gizah al-Bahriya from the west. The US said it had conducted 36 airstrikes on enemy fighting positions over the weekend, bringing its total airstrikes so far in support of BM forces up to 288 in total. ISIS claimed a suicide vehicle attack on BM forces on 16 October.

On 14 October, there were reports of ISIS vehicles being present in the areas between al-Baghlah & Wadi Allod and also Wadi Jarif & Bu’ayrat al-Hasun, indicating that some ISIS forces have managed to escape safely out of the city and are still active south of Sirte. In Sebha, a key city in southern situated Libya 6ookm south of Sirte, a Saudi national and a Libyan were taken captive after they were accused of being  part of a hidden ISIS cell in the city.