ISIS in action
Tracking developments of ISIS activity and the anti-ISIS coalition in Libya.
23 – 29 October: AFRICOM claims recent airstrikes killed 25% of ISIS-Libya fighters
On 26 October, US AFRICOM claimed that the four US airstrikes in Libya this year had killed 25% of the remaining ISIS fighters in the country and that ISIS-Libya numbers less than 150 members. On 16 October, the LNA claimed to have arrested an ISIS member near Mitiga airport in Tripoli.
16 October – 22 October: Suspected ISIS member arrested in Sirte
On 14 October, the Misratan Counter-Terrorism Forces (CTF) arrested a man in Sirte on the suspicion of being a member of ISIS. On 16 October, a spokesperson for the Sirte Protection Force (SPF) claimed that ISIS fighters had reorganised in large numbers in the mountainous areas of southern Libya. On 16 October, the LNA claimed to have arrested an ISIS member after its Special Forces conducted an operation in the al-Gharat area.
9 – 15 October: US defence official claims strikes caused “significant degradation” to ISIS-Libya
On 10 October, an anonymous US defence official said recent AFRICOM strikes in Libya killed 43 ISIS fighters, resulting in a pretty significant degradation of their capabilities. On 13 October, Sabratha security forces arrested Moaz Mabrouk al-Falah on suspicion of collaborating with terrorist groups.
2 – 8 October: BAM observe “suspicious terrorist movement” south of Sirte
On 1 October, the commander of the al-Bunyan al-Marsous told Italian media that forces patrolling south of Sirte had recently identified “suspicious terrorist movements.”
AFRICOM launch 4 aerial attacks in 10 days targeting ISIS in southern Libya
On 24, 27 and 29 September, AFRICOM conducted multiple airstrikes in southern Libya targeting ISIS and claimed to have killed 35 ISIS fighters. On 30 September, the LNA Khalid Ibn al-Walid Battalion clashed with ISIS fighters between Qatroun and Um al-Aranib in southern Libya.
18 – 24 September: US AFRICOM launches airstrikes against ISIS near Murzuq
On 19 and 24 September, US AFRICOM launched aerial attacks targeting alleged ISIS members located near Murzuq. Statements from AFRICOM indicated that they had killed eight ISIS fighters and eleven ISIS fighters respectively.
11 September – 17 September: Rumored attack by ISIS fails to materialize
On 11 September, a suspected attack by ISIS targeting Tripoli’s downtown area failed to occur following the distribution of a letter addressed to the National Oil Corporation (NOC) expressing concern over the possibility of an attack.
4 September – 10 September: Four arrested in Sirte for allegedly supporting ISIS
On 5 September, Sirte Security forces arrested four individuals for allegedly assisting ISIS in the second residential district of Sirte. On 31 August, ISIS fighters were detected moving through Garabuli after having supposedly arrived from the sea.
28 August – 3 September: UN Secretary General claims increase in ISIS attacks in southern Libya since April
On 29 August, the UN published a report outlining the UN Secretary General’s overview of the Libyan crisis as presented to the UN Security Council on 26 August. The report claimed there “was a significant increase in the number of attacks by Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in southern Libya” following the LNA’s assault on Tripoli in April.