IS has taken advantage of growing chaos to expand its foothold in Libya, which has rival administrations vying for power.
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French President Hollande said the country was at war against IS after the jihadist group claimed responsibility for the November terror attacks in Paris that killed 130 people.
France is using its special forces and commandos to wage covert military operations against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIL/ISIS) in Libya, the country’s media say.
US special forces have been holding meetings with potential Libyan allies.
– The so-called Islamic State has suffered a bruising defeat in a battle with local militia forces in Libya.
The fighting in Sabratha started when local brigades – formerly among the many rebel groups that joined in an uprising that overthrew Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 – attacked suspected Islamic State hideouts 15 km (9 miles) south of the city, Sabratha’s municipal council said in a statement.
Islamic State “police” train in Sirte, Libya. A Tunisian leader of ISIS and two Serbian embassy workers who had been kidnapped by the extremist organization were among the 49 fatalities in the northwestern coastal city.
Serbia has sought an explanation from the USA for the air strikes.
Reuters quotes an unnamed Western diplomat grousing that “patience is very short with the House of Representatives”, because Western governments “require forces on the ground that we can help and train” against ISIS.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the total number of officers killed in the occupation and ensuing clashes reached 19. Misrata now backs the United Nations deal while some of the Tripoli political leadership is against it. There have been reports of Isis fighters quitting Syria and Iraq, where they are targeted by allied bombing raids and heading to Libya. Its ranks are split, including federalists looking for more autonomy for their eastern region.
“Patience is very short with the House of Representatives”. Italy discreetly agreed to allow USA drones operating in Libya and North Africa to launch from one of its bases after a year of negotiations.
The sources disclosed no details of the precise targets hit but told Le Monde newspaper that the strikes were directed at senior IS commanders with the aim of preventing the terrorist group from strengthening its forces in Libya.
“Libya can be stabilized by local forces”.
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But it wants a national unity government in place to request the assistance before making a formal intervention.
