ISIS retaliates as Libyan forces close in on Sirte

Islamic State suicide bombers on Sunday attacked Libyan forces in the port city of Sirte as the troops continue to reclaim parts of the extremist group’s stronghold. Islamic State (ISIS) is losing control of several cities, but analysts worry Libya still lacks the political stability to thrive, even if it can force the extremist group out of the country.

Yesterday’s suicide bombers used an ambulance and two vehicles, striking a gathering of soldiers and a field hospital. Forces with the UN-backed unity government from the Libyan town of Misrata began an offensive against Islamic State nearly two weeks ago. They recaptured the airport in Sirte last week and gained control of the seaport on Friday. Some of the militants reportedly shaved their beards and cut their hair to blend in with civilians as the troops advanced on Sirte. More than 100 soldiers have died, with another 500 injured, since the siege began.

“They aimed to shake our ranks, to force us to retreat, but we remain steadfast,” Brig. Gen. Mohammed al-Ghasri said. “We are determined to finish the job before the end of the holy month of Ramadan.” The annual Muslim period of fasting began June 6.

Islamic State’s strategic location in Libya has allowed it to share weapons and fighters with its affiliates in the Sinai Peninsula. The oil fields in Libya also have served as a major revenue source for the extremist group. U.S. officials estimate more than 4,000 ISIS militants remain in the country, with hundreds of them gathered in Sirte.

In February, U.S. airstrikes and local militias destroyed an ISIS training camp in the western Libyan city of Sabratha, killing more than 40 people. The latest Libyan victory adds another blow to a string of ISIS losses. In recent months, the group has lost 40 percent of its territory in Iraq and 20 percent in Syria, noted Ebrahim Deen, a researcher at the Afro-Middle East Centre in South Africa.

“It’s showing that the group, at least militarily, is being defeated,” Deen said. “What follows is the big issue.”

ISIS gained a foothold in Libya after the collapse of Moammar Gadhafi’s regime in 2011 created a power vacuum. That also paved the way for the rise of other jihadist groups. Fajr Libya controls Libya’s capital, Tripoli, and has a strong presence in the town of Misrata. In Benghazi, one of Libya’s largest cities, the extremist group

Ansar al-Sharia maintains a foothold. Until the state regains political stability and resumes its duties to the public, terror groups will continue to thrive, Deen cautioned.

“The more the state becomes stable, the less you see the need for people to support ISIS,” he said. “Much of ISIS support is because they provide schools [and] clinics, and a stable state can do that.”