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.