Egypt bombs IS targets in Libya after beheadings of 21 Egyptian Christians

Commentators on the conflict say that Egypt’s move is to send a bold message of retaliation to IS.

17:27 16 February 2015

Egypt has confirmed that it has bombed Islamic State targets in Libya just hours after the militant groups killed 21 Egyptian Christians.

State TV said that the strikes, which took place at down, targeted camps, training sites, and weapons storage areas.

On Sunday, IS has released a video showing militants forcing a group of men to the ground before beheading them.

Reports say that they were Egyptian Christians who were kidnapped in separate occasions in December and January from the coastal town of Sirte in eastern Libya, under the control of Islamist groups.

A spokesman for Libyan Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thinni told the BBC that Egyptian jets had taken part in co-ordinated air strikes on Derna.

"Eight strikes have been conducted so far [in Derna]. The plan is to target all IS locations in the country wherever they are," said Mohamed Azazza.

In a televised address, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi described IS as "inhuman criminal killers".
"Egypt and the whole world are in a fierce battle with extremist groups carrying extremist ideology and sharing the same goals," he said.