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TRIPOLI, Dec. 7-- A year after the Islamic State (IS) lost the city of Sirte, its former stronghold in Libya, remaining terrorists are moving in desert areas near the city in an attempt to regroup. Forces of the Libyan UN-backed government announced last year taking control of the entire city of Sirte, some 450 km east the capital Tripoli, following an eight-month war against IS affiliates that killed more than 700 army soldiers and injured 3,000 others. Taha Hadid, a spokesman for Sirte's Security Force, said the city is recovering greatly, but there is fear that IS is regrouping while continuing to recruit new members. "We know very well that head of the IS immigration bureau, Khabib Al-Darnawi, is still recruiting new members. He is a wanted man who is still moving with the remaining fighters in Sirte and Jufra desert," Hadid told Xinhua. "We found IS belongings and clothes of African migrants in the valley and desert areas of Sirte. This is evidence that IS is exploiting these simple people and persuading them to join," Hadid added. Hadid pointed that the remaining IS fighters moving in desert areas near Sirte are no more than 100 members. "They are constantly moving over fear of being targeted by U.S. air forces or confrontation with our forces. They are weak and lack equipment. Confrontation with us can lead to eliminating them completely." Hadid also warned of the risk of underestimating the terrorists' ability to launch sudden attacks on any military forces present in Sirte, in an attempt to cause more losses and give themselves a moral victory after their defeat last year. | 
