Libya: Islamic State (IS) militants briefly occupy centre of Sabratha near Tripoli
Islamic State group jihadists briefly occupied the heart of a Libyan city near Tripoli but were ousted by militia fighters, in clashes that left 16 people dead, officials said on Wednesday.
IS has taken advantage of growing chaos to expand its foothold in the North African country, which has rival governments vying for power.
The jihadists’ overnight seizure of the security headquarters and other buildings in Sabratha came days after a US air strike hit an IS training camp near the western city, killing dozens, probably including a senior IS operative.
IS fighters exploited the “security vacuum” in the city centre as security forces loyal to authorities in militia-held Tripoli conducted raids looking for IS operatives in the suburbs, Sabratha’s municipal council said in a statement.
Up to 200 IS fighters from “sleeper cells” seized the chance at around midnight Tuesday to take control of the security headquarters and other buildings, Taher al-Gharabli, the head of the city’s military council, told television.