Libyan official urges ‘strategy to address ISIL globally’

A senior Libyan official has alarmed that the ISIL terrorist group is gaining ground in Libya, urging a new international approach in fighting the Takfiri terrorists.

“ISIS (ISIL) is growing in Libya, exponentially. ISIS is committing atrocities every day,” said Aref Ali Nayed, Libya’s ambassador to the United Arab Emirates an adviser to Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thani, on Thursday.

The top Libyan diplomat who was in Washington and New York this week to discuss the new challenges on Libya’s security front, added, “It’s not possible to fight ISIS in Iraq and Syria without also addressing the Libyan component.”

He has warned that the ISIL attacks in Libya, which is “only an hour away” from Europe by plane, could spread to European countries.

Warning of “the most existential threat” posed by the ISIL, Nayed has appealed for an immediate “strategy to address” the Takfiri terrorists “globally”.

According to Nayed’s estimation, ISIL has launched several assaults in a dozen Libyan areas and is active in seven cities of the country.

An assault at Corinthia Hotel, in Libya’s capital, Tripoli, on January 27 killed nine people and was claimed by the ISIL Takfiri militants.

Libya has been grappling with conflicts for four years. The country plunged into chaos following the 2011 uprising that toppled longtime former dictator, Muammar Gaddafi. The ouster of Gaddafi gave rise to a patchwork of heavily-armed militias and deep political divisions.

The country has been witnessing numerous clashes between government forces and rival militia groups that refuse to lay down their arms.

Battles among rival militants, who had participated in the anti-Gaddafi uprising, are mainly over the control of oil facilities in eastern Libya.