Anti – 16 February 2015

Feb 16, 2015 | Libyan actors

On 16 February Cairo launched bombing raids against the town of Derna in retaliation for the beheading of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians by IS militants. Egypt struck several targets in Derna, including the houses of three ISIS leaders in the town. However most of the bombing seems to have occurred outside of the centre with military camps and headquarters, as well as ammunition stores, in the surrounding areas being hit. According to the head of the Libyan National Army’s (LNA) air force, Suqour Al-Juroushi, between 30 to 50 militants were killed in the raids. Al-Juroushi was also keen to stress that the Egyptian strikes had been carried out in co-ordination with the LNA.

ISIS’s attempted takeover of Sirte has drawn a strong response from Misrata. The Misratan local council condemned the taking over of government buildings in the town and called on security forces to do something to halt ISIS’s advance. Meanwhile the GNC, which is keener than ever to distance itself from these militant elements, also vowed to retake those parts of Sirte that the IS has seized.