Libya’s chaos continues to feed jihadist threat by Islamic State

Two years after the Islamic State group lost the Libyan city of Sirte — its last stronghold in the country — the jihadists continue to launch attacks, including in the heart of the capital, profiting from government weakness and general chaos.

The last attack claimed by IS targeted Tripoli’s foreign ministry on Tuesday, killing three and causing major damage to one of the capital’s supposedly most secure buildings.

It followed two similar attacks, one in September against the headquarters of the national oil company that killed two and another that hit the electoral commission in Tripoli in May, when 14 were slain.

“IS has proved that it is capable of maneuvering and of hitting strongly, two years after the loss of its stronghold in Sirte,” said Libyan political analyst Jalal al-Fitouri.

Its capabilities persist despite “the hunting down (of its fighters) in the Libyan desert by Libyan armed groups and the US military, which has launched numerous strikes against IS in the south,” he said.

IS has “benefited from divisions” in the aftermath of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime falling in 2011, Fitouri noted.

Libya is divided between several rival entities, chief among them an internationally recognized Government of National Accord led by Fayez al-Sarraj in Tripoli and a parallel administration in the east loyal to strongman Khalifa Hiftar.

Source: TOI