Warplanes of Libya’s unity government on Thursday bombed ISIL group positions in Sirte as part of an offensive to retake the terrorist stronghold, the military said in a statement.

Warplanes of Libya's unity government on Thursday bombed ISIL group positions in Sirte as part of an offensive to retake the terrorist stronghold, the military said in a statement.

The strikes targeted the area around a conference center where ISIL had set up a command post, it said.

Forces loyal to Libya's internationally backed Government of National Accord (GNA) have been advancing on Sirte, the terrorist group's key bastion in the North African country.

The unity government's navy has taken control of the coast of Sirte as part of the offensive, Rida Issa, the naval commander for central Libya, told AFP.

"Our forces control the entire coast of Sirte. They (ISIL terrorists) will not be able to flee by sea," he said.

He said naval forces had supported the offensive including by "carrying out operations to open the way for ground forces to advance along the coast."

The unity government's forces and those of a rival authority in the east are in a race to be the first to drive ISIL out of Sirte.

On Wednesday the unity government said its forces had captured two military barracks from the terrorists near Sirte during their advance.