Libyan forces advancing on Isis holdouts in Sirte claim they are close to securing victory in the coastal city that is a critical battleground in the fight against the jihadi group. Now comes the hard part for Libya’s weak authorities: curbing the instability and violence that have blighted the North African nation since the 2011 overthrow of Muammer Gaddafi. – Financial Times
Suicide bombings against Libyan forces battling to oust Islamic State from their former North African stronghold of Sirte killed at least 12 fighters and wounded about 60 there on Thursday, a hospital spokesman said. - Reuters
[A]nalysts said Islamic State, which has made resiliency its hallmark, probably retains the ability to imperil Libya’s fragile government, as well as more distant targets, by shrugging off territorial and battlefield losses and turning its attention to guerrilla-style insurgency. – Los Angeles Times
Even as airstrikes authorized by President Obama have enabled Libya’s embattled unity government to seize the Islamic State’s critical stronghold here, a struggle between the feuding political and religious factions is putting those battlefield successes in doubt. – Washington Times
Italy has used a new law to send special forces to fight the Islamic State group in Libya without informing Parliament, according to Italian reports. – Defense News
Support for the U.N.-backed unity government in Libya is "crumbling" amid increased power outages and a weakening currency that is hitting crucial imports, the United Nations' envoy to the embattled north African country told a newspaper. - Reuters