October 10, 2016
By Ahmed Elumam

Libyan pro-government forces (click here) are advancing into the last area controlled by Islamic State in the coastal city of Sirte, surrounding the militants after a five-month campaign backed by U.S. air strikes, military officials say.

At least eight pro-government fighters were killed over the weekend as their forces pushed into the 600 block, an area in central Sirte, with snipers and booby traps posing the main obstacles to their advance, the officials said.A Reuters reporter on the ground said forces advanced across two streets on Sunday, but were facing resistance and discovering explosive devices in many buildings.

Islamic State took over Sirte a year ago, exploiting the chaos and violence that have dogged Libya since the overthrow of leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 in order to carve out a new base, far from its main territory in Iraq and Syria.

Losing the city would be a major blow to the group, but officials believe some of its fighters and commanders escaped before Sirte was surrounded, and may continue to wage guerrilla-style attacks even after it falls....

The Libyan military is doing well. It has found a strategy that works. An autonomous fighting force is possible.

October 9, 2016
The first-ever Libyan (click here) to graduate from the US’ prestigious Air War College in Montgomery, Alabama, is due to return to Libya in the next couple of weeks and resume his military duties.

Colonel Nasser Bousnina, previously the post-revolution acting commander of Benghazi’s Benina air force base, graduated from the air college this summer, one of more than 40 air force colonels from all over the world.

Bousnina, who trained at Misrata Air Academy and in Ukraine, was for several years before the revolution an instructor and then commander at Martuba air base and following that assistant commander of helicopters at Benina. In early 2011, he led other air force officers in joining the revolution.

Until he went to the US air college he was in charge of the helicopter forces in the east....