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U.S. Strikes Help Libyan Forces Against ISIS in Surt U.S. Strikes Help Libyan Forces Against ISIS in Surt
(about 4 hours later)
WASHINGTON — The United States on Tuesday stepped up a new bombing campaign against the Islamic State in Libya, conducting its first armed drone flights from Jordan to strike militant targets in the coastal city of Surt.WASHINGTON — The United States on Tuesday stepped up a new bombing campaign against the Islamic State in Libya, conducting its first armed drone flights from Jordan to strike militant targets in the coastal city of Surt.
President Obama, during a news conference, said the airstrikes were critical to helping Libya’s fragile United Nations-backed government to drive Islamic State militants out of Surt, which the group has controlled since June 2015.President Obama, during a news conference, said the airstrikes were critical to helping Libya’s fragile United Nations-backed government to drive Islamic State militants out of Surt, which the group has controlled since June 2015.
Calling the strikes necessary to protect American national security interests, the president promised that the air campaign would continue as long as necessary to make sure that the extremist group “does not get a stronghold in Libya.” He also linked instability in Libya to the migration crisis in Europe.Calling the strikes necessary to protect American national security interests, the president promised that the air campaign would continue as long as necessary to make sure that the extremist group “does not get a stronghold in Libya.” He also linked instability in Libya to the migration crisis in Europe.
The new round of airstrikes came as Libyan forces were reported by Agence France-Presse to be making advances in their months-old offensive to oust the Islamic State from Surt. The advances were aided by two American airstrikes on Tuesday, United States officials said. The day before, the United States opened the campaign by carrying out five airstrikes, two of which were announced by the Pentagon then.The new round of airstrikes came as Libyan forces were reported by Agence France-Presse to be making advances in their months-old offensive to oust the Islamic State from Surt. The advances were aided by two American airstrikes on Tuesday, United States officials said. The day before, the United States opened the campaign by carrying out five airstrikes, two of which were announced by the Pentagon then.
A Pentagon spokesman, Capt. Jeff Davis, told reporters that the targets in Surt included two tanks, construction vehicles, military vehicles, a rocket launcher and an Islamic State fighting position. He said one strike, which destroyed a T-72 tank in the Surt neighborhood of Al Dular, had helped Libyan forces on the ground.A Pentagon spokesman, Capt. Jeff Davis, told reporters that the targets in Surt included two tanks, construction vehicles, military vehicles, a rocket launcher and an Islamic State fighting position. He said one strike, which destroyed a T-72 tank in the Surt neighborhood of Al Dular, had helped Libyan forces on the ground.
The tank “had really proved to be a menacing problem for the G.N.A.,” Captain Davis said, referring to Libya’s interim government of national accord. Fighters working with the government had asked that the tank be destroyed. Captain Davis said Islamic State fighters had repeatedly used the tank to “beat back advances.”The tank “had really proved to be a menacing problem for the G.N.A.,” Captain Davis said, referring to Libya’s interim government of national accord. Fighters working with the government had asked that the tank be destroyed. Captain Davis said Islamic State fighters had repeatedly used the tank to “beat back advances.”
Once the tank was destroyed, Libyan forces were able to enter the neighborhood, he said.Once the tank was destroyed, Libyan forces were able to enter the neighborhood, he said.
The Pentagon said on Monday that another T-72 tank and two transport vehicles had been struck.The Pentagon said on Monday that another T-72 tank and two transport vehicles had been struck.
Pentagon officials declined to publicly identify the sites from which the strikes were being launched. But three United States military officials said they were being conducted by Harrier jets from the amphibious assault ship Wasp in the Mediterranean and by armed Reaper drones from a base in Jordan. The officials said the strikes could provide vital leverage to the Libyan forces.Pentagon officials declined to publicly identify the sites from which the strikes were being launched. But three United States military officials said they were being conducted by Harrier jets from the amphibious assault ship Wasp in the Mediterranean and by armed Reaper drones from a base in Jordan. The officials said the strikes could provide vital leverage to the Libyan forces.
The attacks are the first time that the United States has flown armed drone missions from Jordan, a staunch ally in the fight against the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. The Pentagon also conducts drone flights from a base in Sicily, but those missions are restricted to surveillance. A spokeswoman for the Jordanian Embassy in Washington declined to comment.The attacks are the first time that the United States has flown armed drone missions from Jordan, a staunch ally in the fight against the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. The Pentagon also conducts drone flights from a base in Sicily, but those missions are restricted to surveillance. A spokeswoman for the Jordanian Embassy in Washington declined to comment.
Under the procedures set up for the Surt operation, Libyan ground commanders meet at a Libyan operations center outside Surt with American Special Operations forces who have been in the country for months. The Libyan commanders request targets they want the Americans to hit, such as the T-72 tanks.Under the procedures set up for the Surt operation, Libyan ground commanders meet at a Libyan operations center outside Surt with American Special Operations forces who have been in the country for months. The Libyan commanders request targets they want the Americans to hit, such as the T-72 tanks.
The American forces, working with military spotters and officials at the United States Africa Command in Stuttgart, Germany, analyze the prospective targets using imagery from American surveillance drones and other intelligence. If deemed valid and not too great a risk to civilians, the targets are approved for attack.The American forces, working with military spotters and officials at the United States Africa Command in Stuttgart, Germany, analyze the prospective targets using imagery from American surveillance drones and other intelligence. If deemed valid and not too great a risk to civilians, the targets are approved for attack.
Captain Davis said that it was hard to predict how long the air campaign would last, but that it would probably be “weeks, not months,” given the relatively small size of the contested city center of Surt.Captain Davis said that it was hard to predict how long the air campaign would last, but that it would probably be “weeks, not months,” given the relatively small size of the contested city center of Surt.
He said that the Islamic State fighters now numbered in the hundreds in Surt, down from several thousand, and that many had fled into the desert or other Islamic State enclaves in the country.He said that the Islamic State fighters now numbered in the hundreds in Surt, down from several thousand, and that many had fled into the desert or other Islamic State enclaves in the country.
The president, during his news conference Tuesday with the visiting prime minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong, expressed regret that the 2011 NATO-led bombing campaign that had driven Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi from power in Libya had also led to the deterioration of the country.The president, during his news conference Tuesday with the visiting prime minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong, expressed regret that the 2011 NATO-led bombing campaign that had driven Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi from power in Libya had also led to the deterioration of the country.
“I think that all of us collectively were not sufficiently attentive to what had to happen the day after and the day after and the day after, that in order to ensure that there were strong structures in place to assure basic security and peace inside of Libya,” Mr. Obama said. “I think that all of us, collectively, were not sufficiently attentive to what had to happen the day after, and the day after, and the day after that, in order to ensure that there were strong structures in place to assure basic security and peace inside of Libya,” Mr. Obama said.