Daesh fighters yesterday attacked the town of Al-Fuqaha, about 600 kilometres south-east of the Libyan capital Tripoli, and killed two people there including the town’s mayor; Al-Ahrar TV reported.
Daesh said in a statement posted on Telegram that its militants attacked the town to kill a number of people and abduct others, adding that its militants took control of the town for a few hours.
The group’s announcement coincided with an offensive waged by forces loyal to Libyan General Khalifa Haftar against the capital, Tripoli.
The controversial Libyan general has been backed by Egypt, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Israel, prompting growing outrage from Tripoli. On Friday, Libyan Brigadier General Mohammad Al-Qunidi, the government’s chief of the military intelligence, said that Haftar was attacking the capital with Egyptian, Emirati and Saudi arms.
France has also controversially backed Haftar; on Sunday it was reported that Al-Sarraj had officially asked the French ambassador to Libya to convey his protest to President Emmanuel Macron, stating that the bias contradicted previous efforts to support the country’s political transition.
However, yesterday Macron reportedly called Al-Sarraj to deny any connection between Paris and Benghazi’s current campaign. The French president condemned the assault, demanding an immediate halt to the fighting.