ISIS gaining more presence in southern Libya

Mustafa Kamel

International parties work hard to bring Libya’s rivals together, in their pursuit to bring about a negotiated settlement to the conflict in the country.

Meanwhile, the sleeper cells of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) keep gaining presence in different parts of southern Libya, all under the gaze of Turkey which has been striving to revive this terrorist organization by easing the transfer of its members from Syria so that they can fight alongside the militias of the Government of National Accord (GNA) against the Libyan National Army (LNA).

ISIS revival

ISIS increased its activities in southern Libya after the arrest of its prominent Syrian commander Mohamed al-Ruweidani, codenamed Abu Baker, in May this year.

Abu Baker was arrested while fighting alongside the militias of the GNA which is backed by Turkey, according to LNA Spokesman Gen. Ahmed al-Mesmari.

Abu Bakr is one of the most dangerous ISIS members transferred from Syria to Libya. He was the emir of what is known as Sham Legion.

Over 10,000 extremists had been transferred from Syria to Libya so far, including 2,500 Tunisians, according to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The LNA warned repeatedly against Turkey’s transfer of extremists from Syria to Libya.

Al-Mesmari once accused Turkey of turning western Libya into an ISIS camp.

Brig. Gen. Khaled al-Mahjoub, a senior commander of the LNA, accused Turkey of transferring over 3,000 radicals from Syria to Libya, including senior commanders of ISIS.

Terrorist cells

Southern Libya is a safe refuge for ISIS fighters.

The LNA declared recently the killing of some of these fighters in Sabha, southern Libya, during a nine-hour operation in the area.

According to the Media Section of the LNA, the number of ISIS fighters killed during the operation amounted to seven.