(Author: Libyan Gazette Editorial Staff)
On Tuesday, the US airstrike campaign called Operation Odyssey Lightning launched nine air strikes on ISIS targets in Sirte raising the total number of airstrikes since the beginning of the campaign to 270.
On Friday, US military jets launched 10 airstrikes in addition to 41 airstrikes between Saturday and Monday. The airstrikes hit close to 155 targets most of which were “enemy fighting positions,” according to a statement released by AFRICOM.
The number of airstrikes fired since Friday has seen one of the most intense periods of bombings since the beginning of the airstrikes campaign on August 1.
AFRICOM, the US’s Africa Command, has been working with the brigades loyal to the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) to coordinate attacks against ISIS in Sirte. The joint effort began after the US responded to a request from the GNA for military support to combat ISIS in Sirte.
AFRICOM said in the statement that its airstrikes in Sirte “will help deny Daesh (ISIS) a safe haven in Libya from which it could attack the Unites States and our allies.”
The statement also mentioned that “the US stands with the international community in supporting the GNA as it strives to restore stability and security to Libya.”