The United States is prepared to carry out more air strikes against Islamic State militants in Sirte if requested by Libya’s U.N.-backed government, even though the militant group no longer controls much territory there, the Pentagon said on Monday. Since August the United States has carried out more than 350 air strikes against Islamic State at the request of the Government of National Accord (GNA). Advertisement“If additional air strikes are needed, we will be prepared to deliver those air strikes,” Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said at a news conference. Islamic State took full control of Sirte, a city of some 80,000 inhabitants, in early 2015. U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, estimated that only a few blocks of the city were controlled by a few dozen Islamic State fighters.

Source: Libya Today November 08, 2016 13:22 UTC