By John Lee.
Libya's Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG) said on Monday that it has capured the town of Ben Jawad from the Islamic State group (IS, ISIS, ISIL, Daesh).
The town is 160 kilometers east of the central city of Sirte, and fighting is reportly contining for control of the nearby town of Nawfiliyah.
According to Reuters, the PFG, headed by Ibrahim Jathran, has declared its support for Libya's U.N.-backed unity government. Other brigades that back the government advanced last week to the outskirts of Sirte from the west.
If the PFG can hold Ben Jawad it could signal the start of a new front in the campaign against the Islamic State.
(Sources: Reuters, Al Jazeera)
