“The situation has become more pressing in the hard circumstances to speed up putting together an Arab strategy to fight [Islamic State]”, stated an official communique issued by the Arab League.
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In March, Egyptian fighter jets pounded Islamic State targets in Libya after the group circulated a video showing the beachside beheading of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians.
In its statement Tuesday, the Arab League said there “is an urgent need” for a strategy that “includes assisting Libya militarily in confronting Daesh’s terrorism”.
At least 40 people, majority civilians, were killed in the town last week when IS brutally put down an uprising sparked by the murder of a critical local imam, Khalid bin Rajab Ferjani.
“Libya is bleeding”, Libyan Foreign Minister Mohammad al-Dairi told the gathering of resident diplomats.
In a statement after the Tuesday meeting, the Arab League urged member states to help Libya, separately or as a group, without elaborating.
Libya has slid into chaos since the 2011 overthrow and killing of longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi.
The North African nation has been under a United Nations arms embargo since 2011. However, the council allowed for a sanctions committee to review requests for exemptions.
“The Libyan government…calls for conducting airstrikes against Daesh on Libyan territories”, he added. “Libya is suffering and we are fed up with the atrocities of the terrorist groups”.
Mr.al-Dairi said UN-brokered talks to form a national unity government should not “obstruct” arming the military to fight IS.
“What is surprising is that double standard with which the global community is dealing with the threats of Daesh”, Mr Adel said.
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“The Libyan army [allied to the House of Representatives] has only two aircraft”, he said, calling on the Arab League to transform an Arab proposal for forming a joint Arab action into reality.
