A destroyed building is seen following a battle between Libyan forces allied with the U.N.-backed government and Islamic State militants in neighbourhood Number One in central Sirte, Libya September 7, 2016. U.S.-backed Libyan forces are close to vanquishing Islamic State from its last holdouts in the city of Sirte, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Wednesday. Carter said forces aligned with Libya's U.N.-backed government, who have been aided by U.S. air strikes since the beginning of August, had cornered Islamic State in one small section of the city. Libyan forces said on Saturday they had advanced against some of Islamic State's last holdouts in the city. Carter said the United States would not halt its assistance to Libya once Sirte was retaken.

Source: Thanhnien News September 07, 2016 20:37 UTC