The fact that in the48 hours since the assault on the last two militant enclaves began, at least 24 troops have died and over 110 been wounded is evidence of the fierce resistance the LNA is encountering. There are still no figures for killed or captured militants.
The National Library set in its own parkland is reported to have been badly damaged in the fighting. It is unclear what has happened to its stock of 150,000 books and archives.