Late last week, the Libyan Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG), one of the few forces loyal to the UN-backed unity government, claimed major victories over ISIS “in Sirte,” though their accounts all detailed fighting that was about 70 km east of the city itself.

They kept predicting victory, claiming huge territorial gains, right up until today, when the reports suggested that they were fighting at the “main western entrance” of Sirte, but had fallen back in the face of a major ISIS counterattack.

The offensive continues, but appears to be stalling now that it is actually at the city itself, and facing ISIS forces dug in to defend the city instead of just chasing the ones on the highway leading to Sirte.

Officials continue to express confidence that they’ll eventually prevail, but the 2-3 days until total victory prediction, made 2-3 days ago, seems forgotten, and replaced with reports of heavy fighting in the city, though at present only a single wounded fighter has been confirmed in Sirte.