More than 260 bodies of jihadists were found in the last two days in the streets and buildings of the Libyan city of Sirte, after Libyan forces took control of that city from the Islamic State, the authorities announced today.
The army loyal to the Libyan Government of National Unity (GNA) announced three days ago that it had taken full control of the city of Sirte, the main extremist stronghold in Libya, from the Islamic State jihadists.
"So far, we have found 266 corpses of jihadists in different districts of Sirte," the Libyan authorities said.
The operation ended after more than six months of fierce fighting to take control of Sirte, which the Islamic State jihadists occupied last year.
The loss of the stronghold in Sirte is a new blow for the Islamic State after a series of defeats in Iraq and Syria, where they are fighting to liberate their last major strongholds there, Mosul and Raqqa.
In the battle for Sirte, around 700 people died and more than 3.000 were wounded.
Libya has been in chaos since the overthrow and murder of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Since then, Libya has been ravaged by armed conflicts between different factions, from which, according to analysts, the Islamic State benefits the most, as well as smugglers who illegally transport refugees from the Libyan coast.
Bonus video:
