Jihadists extend reach through northern Africa

CAIRO — Islamic State has set up training camps in eastern Libya, says a senior U. S. general, intensifying fears the jihadists are extending their reach through northern Africa. Gen. David Rodriguez, who heads U. S. Africa Command, has told reporters there may be “a couple of hundred” fi ghters undergoing training at the sites, but ruled out military action on the “nascent” camps in the near future. Since declaring a caliphate straddling the Syrian and Iraqi border, Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, has boasted of alliances with groups in Libya, Egypt, Algeria and Yemen. Western offi cials had expressed concern that extremists would fi nd fertile ground in the nations that endured the hope and despair that accompanied the Arab Spring and its aftermath. Since the overthrow of Libya’s longtime dictator, Moammar Gadhafi , the oil- rich nation has been riven with political divisions and is now governed by rival governments and a patchwork of overlapping militias. In Egypt, militants gained a foothold after the overthrow of Mohammed Morsi, president of the Muslim Brotherhood, exploiting the revenge sentiments of young Islamists, as well as the marginalization of communities living in the eastern and western borderlands. Rodriguez warned that Libya’s trainees appear to be members of local militias who are “trying to make a name or trying to make a connection.” It was unclear whether they might join Islamic State fi ghters elsewhere once their training is complete, he said. “It’s mainly about people coming for training and logistics support right now,” Rodriguez said. “As far as a huge command and control network, ( we) have not seen that yet.” Last month, militants in the Mediterranean coastal city of Derna in Libya swore allegiance to Islamic State, becoming the fi rst city outside of Iraq and Syria to publicly join the “caliphate.” According to news reports, a number of leading Islamic State militants travelled to Derna earlier in the year, where they helped unite a panoply of once- divided extremist factions behind them. The militants have joined other armed militias in unleashing what Human Rights Watch has described as a “reign of terror” across the city, involving apparent summary executions and public floggings. The emergence of militant training camps in eastern Libya has been watched closely by neighbouring Egypt, which is dealing with an Islamic State affi liate of its own. Operating mostly in the eastern North Sinai province, Ansar Bayt alMaqdis ( ABM) is understood to have pledged allegiance to Islamic State as early as July, although it made no statement on the matter until Nov 10. Islamic State is now encouraging would- be jihadists to travel to North Sinai, despite the area being on de facto military lockdown. Louisa Loveluck, London Daily Telegraph