The jihadis briefly regained control of the city's port area yesterday after a fierce firefight with naval vessels – while other Libyan troops advanced into the city centre, coming under sniper fire. Col El-Gasri told me: 'They have been cutting their long hair and shaving their beards. As the Libyan troops and jihadis fought a running battle in the port city of Sirte yesterday, we uncovered disturbing evidence that IS fighters are fleeing the onslaught and shaving off their beards and hair to blend in with refugees on their exodus across the Mediterranean. 'This is not going to be easy, but we feel confident the city will be ours within days.' 'Sirte was Muammar Gaddafi's home town and there is still fierce allegiance to him and opposition to our forces, who killed him,' he said.

Source: The Star June 12, 2016 10:41 UTC