Libya: Military experts display confiscated ISIS weapons

Libya’s military forces in Misrata have displayed dozens of tanks and artillery shells believed to have been used by Islamic State militants.

According to the military, more than 200 bombs, tank shells and improvised explosive devices have been seized from ISIS since the army got involved in battles to liberate Sirte from the terrorists.

Despite efforts to free Sirte during a two-month campaign led by forces mainly from the western city of Misrata, the Islamic State, is clinging on to the center of the city.

“When you see the type of materials, the process of construction, it indicates that these people are specialists, at a very very high level. In some cases, we found instructional material on how to make bombs and explosives, how to detonate them, how to construct them, how to build them, “ an unidentified masked Libyan military explosives expert said.

Despite efforts to free Sirte during a two-month campaign led by forces mainly from the western city of Misrata, the Islamic State, is clinging on to the centre of the city.

Sirte had been under the control of the Islamic State since last year, and had extended its presence to about 250 km along the coastline.

The tactics of the Islamic State revolve around blowing up homes, streets and vehicles using suicide bombers or detonating vehicles merely by starting the engine.