At least 34 Libyan fighters were killed and more than 180 wounded today as they closed in on the last so-called Islamic State militant holdouts in the coastal city of Sirte, according to field hospitals.
A field hospital for the forces backing the Government of National Accord (GNA) listed the names of 18 of the fighters killed, as loyalist forces pushed into the last areas held by IS in Sirte.
The pro-GNA forces are pressing a months-long campaign to retake the city from the jihadists, who overran it in June 2015.
Earlier, a spokesman for forces backing the GNA said: "Our forces entered the last areas held by Daesh (an Arabic acronym for IS) in Sirte: district number one and district number three."
About 1,000 pro-GNA fighters were taking part in the offensive, he said, adding a tank had destroyed a bomb-rigged car before IS jihadists could use it to target the forces.
Pro-GNA forces, backed since 1 August by US air strikes, began an assault in mid-May to expel IS from Sirte.
The jihadists seized control of the city, which had been the hometown of Libya's slain dictator Muammar Gaddafi, in June 2015.
The pro-GNA forces fought their way into Sirte on 9 June and seized the jihadists' headquarters at the Ouagadougou conference centre on 10 August.
Since entering the city, they have faced a barrage of sniper fire, suicide bombings and booby traps, pinning down the jihadists in a downtown area near the sea.
More than 350 pro-GNA fighters have been killed and nearly 2,000 wounded in the battle, according to medical sources. IS casualty figures are unavailable.
Sirte lies 450 kms east of Tripoli.
