Five dead in IS attack in central Libya

TRIPOLI: At least five people were killed and 10 others kidnapped in an attack by Islamic State group jihadists on a town in central Libya, local and military sources said.

Three civilians were among the dead, while a soldier was wounded and 10 people were “missing, probably kidnapped”, said General Ahmed al-Mesmari, spokesman for the Libyan National Army (LNA).

The raid targeted the desert town of al-Fuqaha in Jufra district, which has for over a year been held by forces allied to Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar, who leads the self-styled LNA.

LNA forces responded to the attack but the IS fighters fled south, killing the fifth victim and injuring another at a security checkpoint, Mesmari said.

In a statement, IS said it took control of the settlement for several hours and claimed a suicide attack against the LNA.

It said it had stormed a police post and homes looking for ‘apostates’ belonging to the army, police and spies.

Earlier, municipal council member Abdellatif Jalala told AFP that three civilians and a policeman had been killed in the dawn attack, more than 800 kilometres south of the capital Tripoli.

He said the assailants kidnapped at least eight others before fleeing into the Haruj mountains further south.

Jufra lawmaker Ismail al-Sharif said IS fighters attacked the city with 25 vehicles, beheaded five civilians and torched local government and security offices.

The attackers set fire to police posts and public buildings in al-Fuqaha, he added.

Both Sharif and Jalala said the raid was likely retaliation for arrests earlier this month of alleged IS members in the area.

The United Nations mission in Libya said it “strongly condemns the deadly attack in what local authorities say was a brutal act of revenge” by IS.

It also called for the immediate release of those kidnapped.