Islamic State claims responsibility for west Libya attack

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility Saturday for a deadly attack earlier this week on a checkpoint in western Libya , as Libyan authorities announced the arrest of the suspected perpetrators .
“ Soldiers of the caliphate assaulted the ‘ Wadi Kaam ’ gate, on the Zliten – Khoms road two days ago , targeting a gathering of apostate security elements ” loyal to Libya ’ s UN – backed unity government, the jihadist group said via its Amaq propaganda arm .

Six soldiers loyal the Government of National Accord ( GNA ) were killed in the Thursday attack , illustrative of the insecurity that has plagued the country since a 2011 uprising.

Zliten Mayor Moftah Ahmadi told AFP the assault in the town , which lies 170 kilometres ( 105 miles) from the capital in an area where IS jihadists are active , targeted special operations forces commanded by the interior ministry.

Three men , “ armed with grenades and light weapons ” led the attack , Ahmadi said . One was shot dead and the other two managed to escape.

In an interview on Saturday with Libya ’ s private al – Ahrar broadcaster , the unity government’ s Interior Minister Abdelsalam Ashour said “ the perpetrators of the attack were apprehended ” , without specifying how many people were arrested.

Seven years after the 2011 NATO -backed ouster of dictator Moamer Kadhafi , Libya remains divided between the UN -backed GNA in Tripoli and a rival administration in the east , backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar .

A myriad of militias , jihadist groups and people traffickers have taken advantage of the chaos to gain a foothold in the North African country .

AFP

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