The air strikes came amid fears about Isil’s increased threat to Europe.
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“The U.S. stands with the worldwide community in supporting the GNA as it strives to restore stability and security to Libya”, he said.
The U.S. military has conducted rare airstrikes against ISIS inside Libya, the Pentagon announced today. In February, U.S. warplanes hit a suspected ISIS training camp west of Tripoli. The Islamic State has taken advantage of the situation to conquer vast swaths of land in the country, mostly in coastal regions where many criminal gangs indulge in illegal migrant trafficking.
“The overall commitment of the United States of America to the government of national accord, which we view as the legitimate elected government of Libya, that commitment absolutely will endure”.
The U.N.in December brokered a deal that tried to mend the rift by creating a presidency council and a unity government.
Mr Obama authorised them following recommendations from Ash Carter, the Defence Secretary, and General Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
However, US officials told local media sources that the US was preparing to take a greater role in the war-torn country, and said that the Pentagon was preparing for a long-term campaign against Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIS/ISIL).
In his statement Seraj said the government’s leadership, or Presidential Council, had made a decision to “activate” its participation in the global coalition against Islamic State.
Sarraj said the American involvement would be “limited in time and will not go beyond Sirte and its suburbs”. He said that any other foreign intervention is not allowed without coordination. And in November, a USA airstrike killed a top Islamic State leader in Libya.
While the Pentagon had carried out two previous air attacks on high-value IS targets in Libya, Monday’s action marked the first USA strikes in Sirte itself, and the first salvos in what the Pentagon hopes will be a quick campaign.
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Brigades mainly composed of militia from the western city of Misrata advanced on Sirte in May, but their progress was slowed by snipers, mines and booby-traps. Within weeks, the militias liberated large sections of the city along the Mediterranean Sea. It had been used against civilians and had repeatedly beaten back advances by GNA-aligned forces. He said the Libyan government is making “great progress” and has reduced Islamic State’s presence in and around Sirte to as few as 1,000 fighters.
