Whilst developments in Libya have been worsening since the fall of the Libyan dictator, Gaddafi, years ago, recent developments have offered some hope, at least, against the Islamic State (IS).

Libyan forces faced fierce resistance on Saturday from Islamic State militants defending a final strip of land in their former stronghold of Sirte, losing at least five men, officials said.

According to Reuters, Sirte’s loss would leave the militant group without any territory in the North African country, though some of its fighters escaped during the early stages of the campaign and officials fear they will wage an insurgency from the south and west of the city.

The Islamic State took full control of Sirte early last year, extending its presence along about 250km (155 miles) of Libya’s coastline.

However, an immediate future for Libya remains unclear, almost a year into the United Nations-brokered Libyan Political Agreement (PA), which was signed last December. Despite having more than a year of dialogue between different Libyan rivals and factions looking to seek a reasonable power-sharing system of governance, the PA has failed to bear any fruits thus far.