Libya Herald reporters.
Benghazi, 1 October 2015:
Ansar Al-Sharia and IS forces in Benghazi appeared to be running short of some ammunition as . . .[restrict]fighting intensified in Benghazi today in the army’s “Operation Doom”. This has focused on attacking terrorist forces in Bouatni as well as Leithi and in Sabri, where government troops have encountered stubborn resistance.
Air strikes were launched by both fast jets and helicopter gunships. This evening helicopter operations were continuing. Meanwhile for much of the day, there has also been heavier than usual army artillery fire.
Sources close to the army say that among officers and men, morale is high, though no details have been released on any fresh ground taken by troops. Nor have any casualty figures been provided.
Jalaa Hospital said today that it was treating four civilians who were injured, one of them seriously, when a rocket landed in Salmani. Random rocket fire from IS lines appears to be declining. The Libya Herald has however been told that the fighting today was unusual for the lack of mortar fire from terrorist positions.
The military analysis is that either IS has changed tactics and withdrawn its light and medium mortars from the front line or it is short of mortar shells.
IS forces in Benghazi are supplied though the small port of Mreisa, though the besieged Sabri district is still replenished and supported from the beach to the north-east of the main commercial port.
Any drop in seaborne support for the terrorists may have something to do with new marine radar which is being deployed by units of the army’s Tobruk-based 309 Brigade. A brigade spokesman said today that over the past three days, there has been an unusually large movement of boats from Mreisa heading west. It is not clear if the radar plots are used to call in any air or sea interception. [/restrict]
