’ISIS’ Eyes Expanding in Libya

Local Editor

"ISIS" increased its presence in the Mediterranean Libyan city of Sirte from 200 fighters at the start of the year to a force of 5,000 men, including administrators and financiers. The base is the first to be directly established by the terrorist group outside Syria and Iraq, and brings its members closer to Europe, mainly Italy.

The militant group apparently found a new base where it can generate oil revenue and plan terror attacks, based on estimates provided by Libyan intelligence officials, residents and activists in the area.

Apparently, "ISIS" expanded its staff and activities in Sirte since February 2015, when it first announced its presence in the area.

Sirte is a gateway to several major oil fields and refineries farther east along the same coast which were targeted by "ISIS" in the past year.

In addition, the group has already announced its plans to recruit foreign fighters, and is calling them to travel to Libya instead of Syria.

"Sirte will be no less than Raqqa," is a mantra often repeated by heads of "ISIS" in the Libyan city during sermons and radio broadcasts, not to mention that Raqqa is the group's self-declared capital in Syria.

Relatively, about 85% of Libya's crude oil production in 2014 went to Europe, with Italy being the largest recipient.

Libya currently has two competing governments, two parliaments, two sets of rivaling claims to control over the central bank and the national oil company, no functioning national police or army.

Today, the country is an apparently failed state, with Egypt, Algeria and Tunisia having all closed their borders with it.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team