Will Libyan army’s military operations in the south eradicate Daesh?

Sarah Rashad

As a number of analysts forecast the rreturn of the Islamic State, aka Daesh, to Libya in the wake of terrorist operations over the past two months, the Libyan National Army has been cracking down on remnants of Daesh hiding in the mountains of Haruj in southern Libya.

Daesh leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi vowed in a video released 2 months ago to launch terrorist attacks in Africa. A few days later, Daesh carried out attacks in in Libya.

That is part of the terrorist organization’s strategy to revive its presence in Africa. However, the Libyan army has wiped out the hotbeds of Daesh in the Libyan south, but will that reduce the number of terrorist operations?

Libyan researcher Mohamed al-Zubaidy said the army’s move is a good step for the elimination of Daesh in Libya. “However, Daesh will likely to carry out a terrorist attack soon in response to the army’s operation,” al-Zubaidy told THE REFERENCE.

The researcher has urged the Libyan army to take precautions to ward off any attack of Daesh, citing huge challenges facing the army.

“Tripoli is not the only open front,” he noted.

Al-Zubaidy has linked the Tripoli front and the situation in the south, stressing that there are understandings between the Government of National Accord and Daesh.

The Libyan army has been fighting militias, which are backed by the terrorist groups, to free the capital Tripoli since April 4.