Egypt’s
military has said it carried out air strikes against Islamic State of
Iraq and the Levant targets in Libya, a day after the group released a
video appearing to show the beheading of 21 Egyptians there.
In a statement aired on state television, the military said the attacks were carried out at dawn on Monday.
The
attacks focused on ISIL camps, training sites and weapons storage areas
across Egypt’s border in Libya, where armed groups have thrived amid
chaos, the statement said.
“The air
strikes hit their targets precisely, and the falcons of our air forces
returned safely to their bases,” the military’s statement said.
“We affirm that avenging Egyptian blood and retaliating against criminals and killers is a duty we must carry out.”
Libyan war planes loyal to the official government also took part in the air strikes, an official said on Monday.
“More air strikes will be carried out today and tomorrow in
coordination with Egypt,” commander Saqer al-Joroushi told al-Arabiya television.
coordination with Egypt,” commander Saqer al-Joroushi told al-Arabiya television.
Fighters
pledging allegiance to ISIL released a video on Sunday purporting to
show the killing of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians kidnapped in Libya.
The
Egyptian government and the Coptic Church confirmed the authenticity of
the footage, which showed the Egyptian workers, all wearing orange jump
suits, being beheaded near a waterfront said to be located in the Libyan
province of Tripoli.
The men were seized in two attacks in December and January from the coastal town of Sirte in eastern Libya.
PunchOnline
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