Libya: Fighting between Battalion 166 militiaa and Libyan Islamic State branch
Violent clashes erupted between Islamic State-affiliated militants and militias aligned with the Islamist self-declared government near Sirte in north-central Libya.
After surrounding the Islamic State-controlled city of Sirte for several weeks, the militias were about 16 kilometers (10 miles) west of the center of the city on Sunday. Other militias fighting their way into Sirte from the east are only 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from the center.
The Tripoli government has previously denied the existence of the Islamic State affiliate. The militias backing the Tripoli government, which is not elected or internationally recognized, are also largely Islamist. The more-extremist Islamic State group has taken control of at least two cities, Sirte and Darna.
An official from Battalion 166, a unit fighting in Sirte, said five of his men had been killed and more than 17 wounded over the past two days. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to journalists.