Blast kills six in eastern Libya, IS claims responsibility
Blast kills six in eastern Libya, IS claims responsibility
The deadly blast follows a US airstrike in Libya last week that left two al-Qaeda officials dead.
1 min read
Pro-government forces loyal to the Government of National Accord (GNA) after an IS-claimed blast [Getty]
A car bomb claimed by the Islamic State group (IS) left six people dead at a checkpoint in eastern Libya, AP reported.
The bomb went off at the eastern gates of Ajdabiya, said Fawzy al-Mansouri, head of the city operations room. He added that all the victims belonged to one family and that five soldiers were also wounded in the blast.
IS claimed responsibility on Friday on its Amaq news agency.
The suicide attack comes less than a week after a US airstrike killed two top al-Qaeda militants in Libya, including recruiter Mustafa Abu Dawud. Saturday's airstrike took place in the Ubari region 620 miles south of Tripoli.
The US had labelled Abu Dawud a "specially designated global terrorist" and said he had been involved in "terrorist activity" since 1992.
Radical groups have taken root in Libya following the 2011 uprising that led to the ouster and death of longtime strongman Moammar Gaddafi.
Libya has been caught in a civil war since 2014 between two rival governments, one based in eastern Libya and the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) in the western part of the country.
IS claimed responsibility on Friday on its Amaq news agency.
The suicide attack comes less than a week after a US airstrike killed two top al-Qaeda militants in Libya, including recruiter Mustafa Abu Dawud. Saturday's airstrike took place in the Ubari region 620 miles south of Tripoli.
The US had labelled Abu Dawud a "specially designated global terrorist" and said he had been involved in "terrorist activity" since 1992.
Radical groups have taken root in Libya following the 2011 uprising that led to the ouster and death of longtime strongman Moammar Gaddafi.
Libya has been caught in a civil war since 2014 between two rival governments, one based in eastern Libya and the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) in the western part of the country.
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