CAIRO—The United Nations-backed Libyan government has announced that the U.S. military has begun conducting airstrikes against the ISIS group at the government’s request.
Fayez Serraj, the head of the U.N.-brokered presidency council, said in a televised statement Monday that American warplanes attacked the ISIS bastion of Sirte, adding that no U.S. ground forces will be deployed.
“The presidency council, as the general army commander, has made a request for direct U.S. support to carry out specific airstrikes,” he said. “The first strikes started today in positions in Sirte, causing major casualties.”
The strikes mark the start of a more intense American role in the fight against ISIS in Libya, as the U.S. steps in to assist the fragile, U.N.-backed government there.
According to a Department of Defense press release, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said the airstrikes “are consistent with our approach to combating ISIL by working with capable and motivated local forces.” ISIL is another name for ISIS.
“The U.S. stands with the international community in supporting the GNA as it strives to restore stability and security to Libya,” he added. “These actions and those we have taken previously will help deny ISIL a safe haven in Libya from which it could attack the United States and our allies.”
Epoch Times contributed to this report.
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