A fully armed MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle taxis down the runway at an air base in Afghanistan on its way to another wartime mission. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Brian Ferguson)
The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) announced on September 20 that its warplanes had targeted an ISIS cell near the southwestern Libyan town of Murzuq.
In an official statement, the AFRICOM said that the airstrike was carried out in coordination with the internationally-recognized Government for National Accord (GNA).
“U.S. Africa Command conducted this airstrike to eliminate terrorist leaders and fighters and to disrupt terrorist activity,” said Gen. Stephen Townsend, U.S. Africa Command commander in the statement. “We will not allow them to use the current conflict in Libya as protection. Together with our Libyan partners, we will continue to deny terrorists safe haven in Libya.”
According to the AFRICOM, at least eight ISIS personnel were killed in the airstrikes, which reportedly took place on September 19.
In the last few months, ISIS cells launched several attacks on the Libyan National Army (LNA) from their remaining hideouts in southwestern Libya.
The Murzuq airstrike became the first U.S. attack in Libya since the LNA launched its offensive on the capital, Tripoli, last April. Back then, the U.S withdrew its counterterrorism force from the capital.
Sod off US, you created and funded ISIS.