6-13 June: LNA claims arrest of ISIS member in Sebha

Jun 14, 2017 | ISIS

On 6 June, the Libyan National Army (LNA) affiliated 116 Brigade said it had apprehended a jihadist cell, composed of fighters who fled from Benghazi, during an anti-terrorism raid in Sebha. The 166 Brigade, which is led by Masud al-Jeddi, claimed that one of those arrested, Masoud al-Tarhouni aka Abu Uwais Allibi, was an ISIS member and resident of the Salmani area in Benghazi. The brigade promised to publish more confessions in future.

On 10 June, one of the four ISIS members said to have been killed on 26 May by local security forces from Bani Walid was identified as Derna resident Abdul Moeed Jaber al-Kawwash, aka Nimir al-Dernawi. Al-Kawwash, who is reportedly only 17 years old, travelled to fight in Syria in 2013 before returning to Derna in 2014 after injury. He is believed to have fought the LNA with other ISIS members in Benghazi, before fleeing in February.

An ambush by unknown attackers in the Wadi Zamzam area on 9 June, left 3 Misratan fighters from the Government of National Accord (GNA) aligned al-Bunyan al-Marsus 166 brigade dead and another injured. Some suspect that the attackers were affiliated with ISIS, and it is believed that ISIS cells may have fled to this area after being driven out of Sirte. Others speculate that the attackers may be estranged Benghazi Defence Brigade (BDB) fighters, targeting travelers on this road in retaliation for Misrata ‘selling them out’ to Haftar and their rivals.