Libyan forces capture Sirte complex from Daesh men

A handout picture uploaded on August 10, 2016 on the official Facebook page of the media center of the forces of Libya's Government of National Accord's (GNA) military operation against the Daesh group in Sirte shows the forces loyal to Libya's unity government in Sirte. (AFP)

TRIPOLI: Libyan forces battling to oust Daesh from Sirte on Wednesday captured a large convention hall complex in the city center, seizing a symbolic base where terrorists once held meetings and flew their black terror flag.
Securing the Ouagadougou Conference Center as well as hospital and university buildings would mark the biggest advance made by Libyan forces in weeks. The United States 10 days ago began airstrikes on Sirte, which fighters say hastened their progress.
“Our forces have complete control of the whole of the Ouagadougou complex, they even advanced some distance beyond the complex,” Rida Issa, a spokesman in the forces’ media office, said.
Photos posted on the media office’s Facebook page showed fighters with armed pickup trucks and a tank milling around next to the convention hall, which was pockmarked by shelling.
The large domed building is a landmark in Sirte, hometown of late dictator Muammar Qaddafi, and was used for meetings and religious instruction by Daesh after they took control of the city last year.
Losing Sirte would be a major setback for the ultras, already under pressure in Syria and Iraq.