3 July – 9 July: ISIS in Libya release video “And the Best Outcome Is for the Righteous”

Jul 9, 2019 | ISIS

On 6 July, Islamic State’s (ISIS) Libya ‘wilayat’ (province) released a 4:52 minute video titled, “And the Best Outcome Is for the Righteous” where they renewed their pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi following his order for obedience from all of ISIS’s external provinces. The video marks the seventh cross-provincial series entry for ISIS. The video features as many as 68 fighters and 12 armed vehicles. The group’s Emir (leader) “Abu Mus’ab al-Libi” narrates the video, whom it has been suggested is the eastern ISIS leader Mahmoud Barassi.

On 4 July, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was “worried” that jihadist fighters were travelling to Libya from the Idlib province in Syria. In a press conference in Rome, Putin expressed concern that the crisis in Libya was deepening and called for the belligerents to agree to a ceasefire and enter a political process to resolve the crisis. On the same day, the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (EUROPOL) warned that Islamist extremist are attempting to get to Libya following the collapse of ISIS in the Levant. It also commented that jihadists from Italy, UK and Ireland are moving to Libya.

On 4 July, security forces in Sirte allegedly arrested a suspected ISIS member. The individual was allegedly planning to organise and undertake a terror attack.