Roundup: Egypt strikes IS positions in Libya over beheadings
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E-mail Xinhua, February 16, 2015
Egypt conducted airstrikes on Islamic State (IS) positions in Libya on Monday, a day after the militant group released a video purporting to show the beheading of 21 Egyptians in the neighboring country.
"Your armed forces on Monday carried out focused airstrikes in Libya against Daesh camps, places of gathering and training, and weapon depots," the military said in a statement broadcast on national TV, referring to the IS group.
State television showed footage of Egyptian fighter jets taking off to launch the strikes.
"The strikes came in line with the decisions of the National Defense Council, and Egypt's right to defend the security and stability of its great people, and in retaliation of the criminal acts committed by terrorist attacks inside and outside the country," the statement said.
In a televised speech hours after the release of the video late on Sunday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Egypt would choose the "necessary means and timing to avenge the criminal killings."
Egypt on Sunday declared a seven-day period of mourning for the victims.
It was the first time Egypt has publically confirmed launching airstrikes against the group in neighboring Libya, where extremist groups, threatening both countries, have grown rapidly following the ouster of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
"Let those far and near know that Egyptians have a shield to protect and safeguard the security of the country and a sword that amputates terrorism and extremism," the military spokesman added in the statement.
Libya's air force, meanwhile, announced that it had launched strikes in the eastern city of Darna, an extremist base that was taken over by an IS affiliate last year.
A Libyan air force commander said at least 40 militants were killed in Monday's raids against the IS targets in Libya.
Meanwhile, the IS in a fresh online statement "gave the Egyptians living in Libya two days to leave or face a horrible fate."
With Monday's airstrikes, Egypt opened a new front while already battling IS jihadists in its Sinai Peninsula who have killed hundreds of soldiers and police since the army toppled Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.
The Egyptian foreign minister headed to New York on Monday for talks with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other senior officials over the whole issue according to a Foreign Ministry statement.
The ministry called for "strong international action."
"Leaving matters as they are in Libya without tough intervention to curb those terrorist organizations represents a clear threat to the international security and peace," the foreign ministry said.
Egypt renewed its call on the U.S.-led coalition, which carry out attacks against IS targets in Iraq and Syria, to take the necessary measures to confront the IS and other similar terrorist organizations on Libyan territories.
France and Egypt urged a UN Security Council emergency meeting on the matter.
French President Francois Hollande and Sisi demanded in a telephone call on Monday, that "the Security Council meet and that the international community take new measures to face up to this danger," a statement from Hollande's office said.
The White House condemned the beheadings, saying the killers were "despicable" and that the brutality shown "further galvanises the international community to unite against the IS."
United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan said his country "supports with all its capabilities Egypt's efforts to eradicate terrorism." Endit
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