In Benghazi, fighting continues unabated between Khalifa Haftar’s forces and troops of the Benghazi Revolutionaries Shura Council (BRSC) and IS. During last week, fighting concentrated in the usual hotspots of Bu’atni, al-Sabri and Laithi. In these districts, pro-Operation Dignity LNA troops have proved unable to eradicate well-entrenched snipers and cells belonging to both local militias aligned with BRSC and IS.

During the past week, fighting in Derna occurred mostly between Derna Mujahideen Shura Council (DMSC) forces and IS members entrenched in farms and hills in the Fataiah area and near the al-Hila checkpoint. DMSC forces reportedly made gains in the fighting, pushing IS members further away from Derna and carrying out a number of additional retaliatory measures against families and properties of IS members from the city. Overall, however, although DMSC forces appear to enjoy widespread support in town and to be capable of holding the city for the foreseeable future, neither LNA nor IS forces will diminish their pressure or the intensity of their attacks on the city.