News / Military

US Special Operations troops deployed to Libya: Report

Tuesday, 09 August 2016 9:07 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 10 August 2016 4:19 AM ]

A soldier from the Libyan army inside residential buildings on the front line in Sirte. (Washington Post photo)

A number of US Special Operations troops have been deployed in Libya purportedly to help local forces fighting against the Daesh (ISIL) terrorist group, a report says.

According to US and Libyan officials, the US forces are providing direct, on-the-ground support to forces loyal to Libya's unity government in a fight against Daesh, the Washington Post reported on Tuesday.

They are also coordinating American airstrikes and providing intelligence information in the battle for the coastal city of Sirte, the report said.

American forces are joined by British troops in the fierce fight to oust the group from the militant stronghold.

American troops are operating out of a joint operations center established on the city’s outskirts and their role is only limited to supporting pro-government forces, said US officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the Pentagon has not announced the deployment publicly.

Robyn Mack, a spokeswoman for US Africa Command (AFRICOM), admitted that small numbers of US military personnel were engaged in Libya but declined to provide more details.

Last week, the US military conducted airstrikes in Libya to target the Daesh stronghold of Sirte, marking the first time the United States has carried out such operations in the North African country since 2011.

Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said in a statement on August 1, "At the request of the Libyan Government of National Accord, the United States military conducted precision airstrikes against ISIL targets in Sirte, Libya, to support GNA-affiliated forces seeking to defeat ISIL in its primary stronghold in Libya.”

Cook added that the US strikes in Sirte "will continue," without elaborating.

Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA) has announced the strikes, but has denounced the presence of foreign troops as“violation” of the country’s sovereignty.

Sirte, the major stronghold of Daesh outside Iraq and Syria, fell to the Takfiri terrorists in February 2015. The full recapture of the city would be a major boost to the unity government, which has come to office through support from the United Nations.

Daesh has been taking advantage of the chaos embroiling Libya since the NATO-backed overthrow and death of longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

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