“When everyone shouts ‘Allahu Akbar’ (God is Great) I know that a tank or a cannon will fire,” says Reuters photographer Goran Tomasevic. He has been travelling to Libya since the 2011 revolution, seeking to capture the pain and politics of a country at war with itself. Since early May, Libyan fighters have been waging a stop-start battle to recapture Sirte from Islamic State. After advancing rapidly to the edge of the town, for the past few weeks they have been struggling to break down the resistance of militants encircled in the city center. “I am constantly following the Libya story and I am in touch with few friends in Misrata since 2011 - they keep me updated,” Tomasevic says. “My goal is to cover the final battle for Sirte.” -- By Reuters
Libyan forces allied with the U.N.-backed government fire weapons during a battle with IS fighters in Sirte, Libya, July 21. The force is mainly composed of brigades from Misrata, a port city about 250 km (155 miles) north west of Sirte. (Goran Tomasevic/Reuters)
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