US fighter jets carried out on Saturday an airstrike against ISIS terrorist locations in Libya for the first time since September.
According to a US Department of Defense source, a number of terrorists were killed in the strike, reported Fox News.
The development has raised questions on the extent of cooperation or lack of it between the US and Libyan authorities before the strike was launched.
The source added that the strike was carried out in the desert in central Libya, while American circles predicted that more strikes will be staged in the future.
In 2016, the US carried out over 500 airstrikes against ISIS in the Libya city of Sirte. A strike in September of this year left 17 ISIS members dead.
Independent Libyan politician Suleiman al-Bayoudi told Asharq Al-Awsat that any land or aerial targeting of Libyan soil without the coordination of legitimate authorities or the national military will be deemed a blatant violation of the country’s sovereignty.
He added: “Despite the chaos in the country, the violation of its airspace is unacceptable and it will not prevent the Libyans, no matter how long it takes, to demand the trial of whoever violated their land.”
He stressed the need for foreign powers to deal with Libya as a national country and to respect its right to sovereignty over its land and airspace.
This should take place in cooperation with the international community against terrorism and “the foreign-backed forces that have destroyed Libya,” he demanded.
