Islamic State beheads 11 in Libya

Picture: Reuters

Picture: Reuters

Published Aug 23, 2017

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Cairo - Eleven people, including nine members of Libya's

eastern forces, had their heads cut off in an attack by Islamic State

militants in central Libya, a spokesman for the eastern forces said.

"Nine soldiers and two civilians were decapitated when the terrorist

Daesh group attacked Fugha checkpoint in Jufra area this morning,"

the spokesman said, using the Arabic acronym for the extremist

Islamic State group.

Forces aligned with Libya's strongman Khalifa Haftar captured Jufra

in June from rival militias, as part of the army general's aim to

expand his control over the strife-torn country. His forces have been

steadily expanding and now control almost all of eastern Libya as

well as areas in the south.

Haftar is the chief of the self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA),

which is aligned with an administration based in Libya's far eastern

city of Tobruk.

Libya descended into chaos following the 2011 overthrow of long-time

autocrat Moamer Gaddafi, who ruled the North African country for more

than four decades.

Haftar's forces are currently vying for control with a UN-backed

Tripoli-based government led by Fayez Serraj.

Islamic State took advantage of the anarchy in order to expand its

inffluence in the oil-rich country.

dpa

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