US Military Airstrikes Destroy Two Daesh Camps in Libya - Pentagon

US B-2 bombers carried out air strikes destroying two Daesh camps southwest of the Libyan city of Sirte overnight, Department of Defense spokesman Peter Cook said in a statement on Thursday.

"In conjunction with the Libyan Government of National Accord, the US military conducted precision air strikes Wednesday night destroying two ISIL [Daesh] camps 45 kilometers [28 miles] southwest of Sirte," Cook stated.

The operation was approved by the outgoing US President Barack Obama several days ago, CNN reported on the issue.

The military operation was carried out on the eve of Donald Trump's inauguration, just a day before the end of Obama's time in office.

Last month, the Government of National Accord (GNA), the largest of several warring factions in war-torn Libya, announced the complete liberation of the city of Sirte from Daesh forces. The city on the Mediterranean coast had been captured by the terrorists in 2014, with UN-recognized GNA forces starting an operation against them in May, 2016. Many of the terrorists are thought to have fled into eastern and southern Libya.

Libya descended into chaos in 2011, when a NATO-supported insurgency overthrew long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi. The war that followed has resulted in a number of militant and tribal groups vying for power, with some observers suggesting that Libya has effectively ceased to be a country.

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