February 2015 Egyptian airstrikes in Libya | |||||||
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Part of the Military intervention against ISIL and Egyptian involvement in the Second Libyan Civil War | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
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Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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![]() (ISIL commander of North Africa) ![]() (Top ISIL Judge in Derna) ![]() ![]() (ISIL Emir of Nofaliya) ![]() | ||||||
Units involved | |||||||
![]() | Military of ISIL | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
Six F-16 jets[4] | 1,000–3,000 (Feb. 2015 estimate)[5] | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
None reported | 81 killed[6][7] and 55 captured[8] | ||||||
7 civilians killed[9] 35 Egyptian citizens allegedly kidnapped |
The February 2015 Egyptian airstrikes in Libya against Islamic State positions in Libya took place on 16 February 2015, and were triggered by a video released by ISIL in Libya a day earlier, depicting the beheading of 21 Coptic Christians from Egypt. Within hours, the Egyptian Air Force responded with airstrikes against ISIL training camps and weapons stockpiles[10] in retaliation for the killings.[11] Warplanes acting under orders from the Libyan government also struck targets in Derna, reportedly in coordination with Egypt.[1]
The air strikes had allegedly killed up to 64 ISIL militants, including three of the leadership, in the coastal cities of Derna and Sirte. Libyan media reported that at least 35 more Egyptians had been rounded up by ISIL in retaliation for the air raids.
As the airstrikes took place, Egypt's Foreign Ministry called on the US-led coalition striking Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant targets in Syria and Iraq to broaden its scope to North Africa and take action against the extremist group in Libya.[10]
He said that today there are about 1,000 to 3,000 fighters loyal to the Islamic State in Libya(subscription required)