USA warplanes carried out airstrikes in Libya Monday, targeting Islamic State forces near their stronghold in the coastal city of Sirte, the Pentagon announced.
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The United States launched multiple airstrikes against DAESH militants in Libya on Monday, opening a new, more persistent front against the group at the request of the United Nations-backed government, Libyan and US officials said.
The Tripoli-based national unity government launched an operation in May to retake the IS stronghold of Sirte, hometown of slain dictator Muammar Gaddafi which IS has controlled since June 2015.
ISIS still holds several strategic sites in central Sirte, including the university, the main hospital and the Ouagadougou conference hall, where it is believed the militants have stocked large quantities of ammunition and provisions.
In February, American F-15E fighter-bombers struck an Islamic State training camp in rural Libya near the Tunisian border, killing more than 40 people.
Sarraj stressed that the USA strikes took place in coordination with the military command centre of pro-GNA forces, and that no foreign troops would be deployed in Libya.
The air strikes were undertaken to make sure that Libyan forces were able to finish the job of fighting the radical militant group and to increase stability there, Mr Obama said.
“The first air strikes were carried out at specific locations in Sirte today causing severe losses to enemy ranks”, he said in a statement broadcast on state TV. He denied the US was leading from behind, describing the strikes as “providing military support for a partner on the ground”.
According to Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook, the strikes were conducted at the request of the Libyan government and were concentrated on the city of Sirte. “And we are doing that with capable, motivated local partners, just as we are in Iraq and Syria, and – and so, we are honoring that request and carrying out something that we think is not only in Libya’s interest, but also in USA interest as well”.
The Pentagon said one strike targeted a tank while a second strike was directed at two Isis vehicles. It remains beset by armed militias, as well as Islamic State, and until recently had two rival governments.
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Western officials had estimated there were as many as 6,000 ISIL fighters in Libya some months ago. Last month, France said three of its soldiers had been killed south of the eastern city of Benghazi, where they had been conducting intelligence operations.
