ISIS captures airbase in northern Libya’s city of Sirte

Africa, Middle East, News May 29, 2015 , by IRIA No Comments

ISIS militants have reportedly taken control of an airbase in the northern Libyan coastal city of Sirte.

The move, reported on Friday, comes as the terrorist group has been seeking to expand its presence beyond the borders of Iraq and Syria, the two countries where it has been engaged in heinous crimes against humanity.

The al-Qardabiya airbase in central Sirte fell into the hands of ISIS, said Mohamed al-Shami, a spokesman for the Tripoli-based Libyan government.

The Misrata-based 166th Battalion forces withdrew from the seized airbase late Thursday.

Meanwhile, the ISIS terrorist group posted a statement on Twitter, touting the airbase’s takeover by its militants.

The militant group entered Sirte in February and as of last week controlled the majority of the city, which lies between Tripoli and Benghazi.

ISIS in Libya

ISIS has been active in Libya for several months and has declared three wilayats, or states, within the country, where it has opened media, military, training and recruitment operations. The three states are likely connected under one leader and coordinate their operations within the country, according to a report from the Institute for the Study of War.

The northern Libyan city of Sirte is home to some of the country’s largest oil drilling operations and a major seaport, and has a history of housing Libya’s most brutal players. It was both the birthplace and the site of the death of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, who was killed during the 2011 Arab Spring protests. Four years later, it has fallen into the hands of the Islamic State group. On Thursday, militants seized an airport that houses the base that NATO forces bombed to oust Gadhafi.

MIS/HSN/HJL/IBT