TRIPOLI, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Africa Command on Friday said it killed Islamic State (IS) terrorists near the southern Libyan city of Murzuq, in coordination with the UN-backed government.
"In coordination with the Libyan Government of National Accord, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted an airstrike targeting IS-Libya terrorists in the vicinity of Murzuq, Libya on Sept. 19, 2019," AFRICOM said in a statement.
"U.S. Africa Command conducted this airstrike to eliminate terrorist leaders and fighters and to disrupt terrorist activity," said Stephen Townsend, U.S. Africa Command commander.
"We will not allow them to use the current conflict in Libya as protection. Together with our Libyan partners, we will continue to deny terrorists safe haven in Libya," he added.
The statement estimated that 8 terrorists were killed in the airstrike, causing no civilian casualties.
AFRICOM from time to time targets terrorists in Libya, in coordination with the UN-backed government.
In December 2018, AFRICOM launched an airstrike that killed 11 al-Qaida members and destroyed three vehicles in southwestern Libya. Enditem
