U.S. aids 'spectacularly successful' effort to expel ISIL from Libyan city

The Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) has been making progress in trying to expel Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) forces from Sirte, Libya, with help from U.S. precision airstrikes in taking out ISIL targets.

“The objective is to help the GNA retake Sirte,” Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said. “Over the past few months, the (GNA-affiliated forces) have worked to defeat ISIL, and they have been spectacularly successful.”

Five recent U.S. airstrikes took out two T-72 tanks, two military vehicles, a fighting position, a rocket launcher and three construction vehicles. One of those destroyed tanks had posed significant difficulties for GNA forces.

“ISIL had used it repeatedly to beat back GNA forces, against civilians, and it represented a challenge and a problem for (GNA fighters) to be able to get into the city,” Davis said.

The airstrikes were requested by and carried out in cooperation with the GNA government and have allowed GNA forces to weaken ISIL’s stronghold in Sirte.

“We have seen those forces work very effectively to collapse ISIL’s control down to a very small area, which really comprises the city center of Sirte,” Davis said. “As they’ve gotten that far, they needed help getting across the finish line. This is a chance for us to help them.”