Eye on Jihadis in Libya Weekly Update: 30 January 2018

IS in Action
On 27 January, a cooperative effort began between the al-Bunyan al-Marsous Security Directorate of Sirte and the Red Crescent of Misrata to recover the bodies of IS fighters buried in Sirte’s neighborhood 600 and 656. Three bodies were recovered with another six the following day. Neighborhood 600 saw some of the most intense clashes between IS fighters and al-Bunyan al-Marsous forces in 2016, when the former occupied the city.
Other Jihadi Actors
On 23 January, a dual bombing in Benghazi led to at least 40 deaths, with many of those critically injured in the initial attack subsequently dying from their wounds. The first bomb went off outside the Bayaat al-Radwan mosque in the central al-Salmani district, as worshippers were leaving evening prayers. Around 10 to 15 minutes later, after security and health officials had arrived on the scene, a second more powerful blast was reportedly detonated from a Mercedes parked on the opposite side of the street. The victims include both Libyan National Army (LNA) fighters and civilians. While no one has claimed responsibility for the attack, LNA affiliated groups have blamed jihadists.
On 29 January, in Derna fighting escalated in the south of the city after the Derna Mujahedeen Shura Council reportedly abducted and executed three people who they accused of being LNA loyalists and militants preparing for subversion in the city.


A weekly update of ISIS’s actions, the Western response, and developments pertaining to Libya’s other militias is available by subscribing here.  To read about Western countries’ responses to ISIS in Libya this week, click here. To read their explanation of the developments within the anti-ISIS Coalition of Libyan militias, click here.

To read all four sections of this week’s Eye on ISIS in Libya report, click here. To subscribe to receive this report weekly into your inbox, sign up on the subscribe page.
Eye-on-Isis-Logo-001