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| Serbian Hostages Killed in U.S. Airstrikes Against ISIS in Libya | Serbian Hostages Killed in U.S. Airstrikes Against ISIS in Libya |
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| CAIRO — Two Serbian hostages were killed in American airstrikes against an Islamic State training camp in western Libya on Friday, Serbia’s officials said on Saturday. | |
| The strikes by American F-15 jets against a compound in Sabratha, 50 miles west of Tripoli, the capital, killed at least 43 people, according to Libyan officials. The Pentagon said it believed that the main target of the attacks, Noureddine Chouchane, a Tunisian militant who was accused of facilitating two major attacks on Western tourists in Tunisia last year, was among the dead. | The strikes by American F-15 jets against a compound in Sabratha, 50 miles west of Tripoli, the capital, killed at least 43 people, according to Libyan officials. The Pentagon said it believed that the main target of the attacks, Noureddine Chouchane, a Tunisian militant who was accused of facilitating two major attacks on Western tourists in Tunisia last year, was among the dead. |
| But the deaths of the hostages, both Serbian Embassy employees, confirmed first by a Libyan militia group and then by Serbia’s prime minister, drew protests from Serbia and raised questions about the quality of the American intelligence that led to the strikes. | But the deaths of the hostages, both Serbian Embassy employees, confirmed first by a Libyan militia group and then by Serbia’s prime minister, drew protests from Serbia and raised questions about the quality of the American intelligence that led to the strikes. |
| At a news conference in Belgrade, the Serbian capital, the foreign minister, Ivica Dacic, said that the two Serbs — identified as Sladjana Stankovic, a communications officer, and Jovica Stepic, a driver — were taken hostage on Nov. 8 when their three-vehicle convoy was attacked as it passed through Sabratha. | At a news conference in Belgrade, the Serbian capital, the foreign minister, Ivica Dacic, said that the two Serbs — identified as Sladjana Stankovic, a communications officer, and Jovica Stepic, a driver — were taken hostage on Nov. 8 when their three-vehicle convoy was attacked as it passed through Sabratha. |
| The convoy was traveling to Tunisia when the attack, which was one of the first overt signs of the Islamic State’s presence in the town, occurred. Serbia’s ambassador to Libya, who was traveling in a separate vehicle with his wife and two sons, aged 8 and 14, escaped unharmed. | The convoy was traveling to Tunisia when the attack, which was one of the first overt signs of the Islamic State’s presence in the town, occurred. Serbia’s ambassador to Libya, who was traveling in a separate vehicle with his wife and two sons, aged 8 and 14, escaped unharmed. |
| Mr. Dacic said the Serbian authorities were still negotiating for the hostages’ release when a barrage of American missiles slammed into the compound outside Sabratha early Friday morning. “The kidnappers had a financial interest,” Mr. Dacic told reporters, Reuters said. | Mr. Dacic said the Serbian authorities were still negotiating for the hostages’ release when a barrage of American missiles slammed into the compound outside Sabratha early Friday morning. “The kidnappers had a financial interest,” Mr. Dacic told reporters, Reuters said. |
| Mr. Dacic said that the Islamic State’s demands for the release of the two men had been “impossible” to meet. Nonetheless, the Serbian government was angry that it had not been informed of the raid in advance, and will send a protest note to Washington, he said. | Mr. Dacic said that the Islamic State’s demands for the release of the two men had been “impossible” to meet. Nonetheless, the Serbian government was angry that it had not been informed of the raid in advance, and will send a protest note to Washington, he said. |
| Although the Libyan authorities in Tripoli have not officially notified Serbia of the hostages’ deaths, an armed group that controls the capital’s only functioning airport posted a photograph on Facebook that showed two coffins next to a small plane that were said to hold the Serbs’ remains. | Although the Libyan authorities in Tripoli have not officially notified Serbia of the hostages’ deaths, an armed group that controls the capital’s only functioning airport posted a photograph on Facebook that showed two coffins next to a small plane that were said to hold the Serbs’ remains. |
| American officials said that the missile attack on Friday killed at least 30 Islamic State militants, mostly from Tunisia, as they slept. American surveillance indicated that they had been training at the compound for weeks, apparently in preparation for an attack in the region. | American officials said that the missile attack on Friday killed at least 30 Islamic State militants, mostly from Tunisia, as they slept. American surveillance indicated that they had been training at the compound for weeks, apparently in preparation for an attack in the region. |
| Kidnapping for ransom is rife in much of Libya, where the rule of law has collapsed only to be replaced by the uncertain authority of rival militias and affiliated political groups. | Kidnapping for ransom is rife in much of Libya, where the rule of law has collapsed only to be replaced by the uncertain authority of rival militias and affiliated political groups. |
| The Islamic State has exploited the chaos to spread across the country. In early December, about one month after the two Serbs were taken hostage in Sabratha, the Sunni extremist group, also known as ISIS or ISIL, made a show of force in the town by setting up a checkpoint during a violent dispute with a rival militia. | The Islamic State has exploited the chaos to spread across the country. In early December, about one month after the two Serbs were taken hostage in Sabratha, the Sunni extremist group, also known as ISIS or ISIL, made a show of force in the town by setting up a checkpoint during a violent dispute with a rival militia. |