From the Liveblog of
Thursday, August 20, 2015
Libya wants airstrikes on local IS affiliate
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleLibya’s internationally recognized prime minister wants allied countries to carry out airstrikes against local Islamic State affiliates but does not want foreign ground troops, Arab or otherwise.
Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thinni said in an interview Wednesday his government urgently needs weapons and other support to battle IS in Libya, and has been let down by the international community.
Al-Thinni wants his own ground forces to direct strikes “from an Arab coalition — either nations on their own or in clusters — to eliminate these groups.”
Al-Thinni’s government has been campaigning for the UN to lift an arms embargo in place since the 2011 revolt that overthrew and killed Muammar Gaddafi.
Libya is now split between al-Thinni’s government in the far east and a rival Islamist militia-backed government in the capital, Tripoli.
— AP
The Times of Israel Community.