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Reports: Airstrikes target suspected Islamic State base in Libya U.S. airstrikes target suspected Islamic State base in Libya
(about 1 hour later)
CAIRO — U.S. warplanes carried out airstrikes Friday against a suspected Islamic State-linked camp in Libya, reports and officials said, leaving more than 40 dead in a sign of possible stepped up Western military pressures against militant strongholds in North Africa. CAIRO — U.S. airstrikes Friday hit a suspected Islamic State training camp in Libya, officials said, leaving more than 40 dead in a sign of possible stepped up Western military pressures against militant strongholds in North Africa.
The Associated Press, citing a U.S. military spokesman, said the attacks targeted a senior Tunisian militant linked to two major attacks last year in neighboring Tunisia. A U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity in advance of a formal statement, said a key target “likely killed” was a senior Tunisian militant linked to two commando-style attacks last year in his homeland.
The airstrikes destroyed a large farmhouse outside Sabratha, a city near the Tunisia border, where suspected militant fighters had gathered to hear a religious leader, said Jamal Naji Zubia, the head of the foreign news media office in Tripoli in a telephone interview. It was the first major U.S. airstrike in Libya since November and followed increased alarms by Western leaders about a widening Islamic State presence in Libya, which could open new oil-linked funding sources and give militants footholds along migrant routes to southern Europe.
President Obama this week called for greater efforts to keep the Islamic State from “digging in” across Libya, where ongoing political infighting has divided the country into rival administrations and complicated Western-led efforts to battle militant factions.
[Kerry warns of tightening Islamic State grip in Libya][Kerry warns of tightening Islamic State grip in Libya]
Zubia — who described the airstrikes as an “accurate hit” — said most of the victims were Tunisian, but at least one was Jordanian. A Libyan official, Hussein al-Thwadi, told the Reuters news agency that at least 41 people were killed. The airstrikes destroyed a large farmhouse outside Sabratha, a city near the Tunisia border, where suspected militant fighters had gathered to hear a religious leader, said Jamal Naji Zubia, the head of the foreign news media office in Tripoli in a telephone interview.
A key target in the attack was Noureddine Chouchane, an Islamic State operative who was believe to be key plotter the Tunisian attacks against popular tourist sites. The U.S. claims that Chouchane was likely killed could not be independently verified.
Across the country in eastern Libya, a June 2015 airstrikes seeking to target a most-wanted Algerian militant who had past ties to al-Qaeda, Mokhtar Belmokhtar. But U.S. officials still have not confirmed whether Belmokhtar was killed in the attack.
Zubia — who described the Friday airstrikes as an “accurate hit” — said most of the victims were Tunisian, but at least one was Jordanian.
“They are believed to be from Daesh,” said Zubia, using the Arabic name for the Islamic State. “They had gathered at the house to hear a speech from one of their Tunisian imams.”“They are believed to be from Daesh,” said Zubia, using the Arabic name for the Islamic State. “They had gathered at the house to hear a speech from one of their Tunisian imams.”
A possible key target in the attack was Noureddine Chouchane, an Islamic State operative who was believe to be key plotter the Tunisian attacks against tourist sites. [Western security plan for Libya takes shape]
The New York Times, citing a Western official, said officials were seeking information on whether Chouchane was killed in the attack. The news website Libya Herald, citing hospital officials, said at least 41 bodies were found. The report added that the injured were all Arabs from a variety of countries, but none were Libyan.
The Tunisia attacks appeared aimed at crippling the vitial tourism industry in Tunisia, a popular spot for Europeans and others. In March, gunmen killed 22 people at the National Bardo Museum in Tunis. In June, attackers stormed a beach in the resort of Sousse, killing 38 people. Sabratha mayor Hussein Dawadi told Libya TV that the site was occupied by suspected Islamic State fighters, including some who had only recently arrived.
[The Tunisian beach that became a killing field] Last year’s attacks appeared aimed at crippling the vitial tourism industry in Tunisia, a popular spot for Europeans and others. In March, gunmen killed 22 people at the National Bardo Museum in Tunis. In June, attackers stormed a beach in the resort of Sousse, killing 38 people.
The Islamic State has taken advantage of political chaos in Libya — which is divided between two rival governments — to increase its footholds in North Africa. The Islamic State has taken advantage of political chaos in Libya — which is divided between two rival governments — to increase its footholds along the Mediterranean.
In recent months, the group has strengthened its presence in Sabratha, a port city whose proximity to the Tunisian border made it a way station for smugglers and militants moving between the two countries.
The Tunisian militant group Ansar al-Sharia had previously established a base in Sabratha, where the United Nations declared its ancient Roman ruins a world heritage site in 1982.
In other Libyan cities, fighters for another militant faction, Ansar al-Sharia, have been mostly absorbed into the ranks of the Islamic State. Tunisian jihadists make up one of the largest contingents of foreign fighters among Syrian rebel groups and Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq, according to researchers.
The Islamic State, also known as ISIL and ISIS, had previously secured a foothold in Sirte — the hometown of former Libyan strongman Muammar al-Gaddafi – in the country’s east. But its fighters have also been known to operate in the Libyan capital, Tripoli.
So far, U.S.-led military pressure against the Islamic State has concentrated on Iraq and Syria. But the United States and allies have been studying possible increased military action against the militant group in Libya.So far, U.S.-led military pressure against the Islamic State has concentrated on Iraq and Syria. But the United States and allies have been studying possible increased military action against the militant group in Libya.
[The Tunisian beach that became a killing field]
On Wednesday, Obama said the United States and allies were focused on strategies to “make sure that as we see opportunities to prevent ISIS from digging in, in Libya, we take them.”
“With respect to Libya,” he told reporters at the end of a summit with Southeast Asian leaders in California, “I have been clear from the outset that we will go after ISIS wherever it appears, the same way that we went after al Qaida wherever they appeared.”
Earlier this month, Secretary of State of John Kerry said Islamic State fighters could be retrenching in oil-rich Liyba as the U.S.-led military campaign cuts off supply routes and bases in Syria and Iraq.Earlier this month, Secretary of State of John Kerry said Islamic State fighters could be retrenching in oil-rich Liyba as the U.S.-led military campaign cuts off supply routes and bases in Syria and Iraq.
“As everybody here knows, that country has resources,” Kerry said at a conference of 23 foreign ministers in Rome. “The last thing in the world you’d want is a false caliphate with access to billions of dollars in oil revenue.”“As everybody here knows, that country has resources,” Kerry said at a conference of 23 foreign ministers in Rome. “The last thing in the world you’d want is a false caliphate with access to billions of dollars in oil revenue.”
Both Kerry and Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said the radical Islamist group is expanding its presence in Libya, as fighters pushed out of Iraq and Syria relocate there and are joined by others new to the battle.Both Kerry and Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said the radical Islamist group is expanding its presence in Libya, as fighters pushed out of Iraq and Syria relocate there and are joined by others new to the battle.
In a joint statement, the foreign ministers expressed concern over the “growing influence” of the Islamic State in Libya. They vowed to “continue to monitor closely developments there, and stand ready to support the Government of National Accord in its efforts to establish peace and security for the Libyan people.” In a joint statement, the foreign ministers expressed concern over the “growing influence” of the Islamic State in Libya.
Murphy reported from Washington. In November, the Pentagon claimed it killed an Iraq militant considered the Islamic State leader in Libya, known as Abu Nabil al-Anbari. A U.S. statement at the time said Nabil may have been the voice that appeared on a February 2015 video showing the beheadings of 21 Christian workers in Libya, nearly all Copts from Egypt.
Murphy reported from Washington. Erin Cunningham in Cairo and Missy Ryan in Washington contributed to this report.
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