They joined ISIS as jihadist terror recruits, training for bloody war against the United States, and thought they were safe in a training camp far away from the bloody battle for Iraq and Syria.
But scores of Islamic State militants learned the hard way Friday that there’s nowhere the United States Air Force can’t reach.
Conducting multiple strikes in the country, American warplanes struck the heart of a major ISIS training camp in Libya near the Tunisian border Friday, and a Tunisian described as a key extremist operative probably was killed, the Pentagon announced. In Libya, local officials estimated that more than 40 were killed with more wounded, some critically.
In a written statement, Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said the training camp was near the Libyan town of Sabratha and that the targeted extremist was Noureddine Chouchane, a Tunisian national whom Cook called “an ISIL senior facilitator in Libya associated with the training camp,” using an alternative acronym for ISIS.
Another U.S. official said up to 60 militants were present at the camp at the time of the strike by U.S. Air Force F-15E strike aircraft based in Europe.
Cook said Tunisian officials in May 2015 had named Chouchane as a suspect in a March 18, 2015 attack on the Bardo Museum in Tunis.
“He facilitated the movement of potential ISIL-affiliated foreign fighters from Tunisia to Libya and onward to other countries,” Cook said.
“Destruction of the camp and Chouchane’s removal will eliminate an experienced facilitator and is expected to have an immediate impact on ISIL’s ability to facilitate its activities in Libya, including recruiting new ISIL members, establishing bases in Libya, and potentially planning external attacks on U.S. interests in the region,” Cook added.
Another official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe details of the sensitive operation, said the U.S. believes that Chouchane was killed.
A witness in the city said he heard two explosions at 3:30 a.m. coming from the nearby village of Qasr Talel. He said the house that was targeted belongs to Abdel-Hakim al-Mashawat, known locally as an Islamic State militant, he said. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he feared for his safety.
The official Facebook page of the Sabratha local city council also put the death toll at more than 40 with more wounded, some critically. “There are torn body parts buried under the rubble,” it said in a posting.
Sabratha is one of the main launching points for smugglers’ boats heading to Europe. It has been also a transit point for Tunisians and North African jihadists before joining the Islamic State affiliates in their strongholds in central city of Sirte and the eastern cities such as Benghazi.
One U.S. official said Friday’s airstrike was taken “with the knowledge of Libyan authorities,” but the official would not be more specific about the coordination.
The U.S. military has been closely monitoring Islamic State movements in Libya, and small teams of U.S. military personnel have moved in and out of the country over a period of months. In November, a US military airstrike killed an Islamic State leader called Abu Nabil or Wissam al-Zubaydi, an Iraqi national in the eastern city of Darna. In July, airstrikes targeted an Al Qaeda gathering and officials said they targeted bel-Mokhtar but it was a failed operation in the eastern city of Ajdabiya.
The Associated Press contributed to this article
Good!!
Now they have more reason to defend them self!
Looking up say oh shit! Is not defending yourself. By the way DA. Isis is on the offensive.
“Defense”! From the BUSH Dynasty’s Genocide attempt!!
I can remember when we could travel throughout the world, with bit of respect. We can’t even go into MEXICO safely today!
About time
So who decided to do this. Was it the President or some general decided on his own?
Do you have a problem with killing terrorists?
Yes! Killing Terrorist By Terrorist is making Terrorism Stronger!
Yes, a DEAD terrorist is definitely stronger than a live one.
your a nut case Steven.what do you mean?
🙂
some people are hopeless unless you explicitly put the [irony] tag to qualify your comment.
Then go join them you coward.
How STUPID can you be?!?!
Wait. WTF! Are you calling our brave men and women terrorist?
Hey Dick head. If you won’t stand behind our soldiers. Feel free to stand in front of them. You scum sucking bottom feeding piece of garbage.
No, terrorism is made stronger when nothing is done. When you look weak and the enemy looks strong, the enemy will gain recruits.
Isis terrorists are not human and should be gassed the same as blood sucking mosquitoes are exterminated.
Randy: You are Right > When you look weak and the enemy looks strong, the enemy will gain recruits.{ Except in Politics?} To the Victor go the Spoils! Nuremberg Trial was AFTER the CARNAGE!
So Bert what should we do, leave them alone. You sound like a liberal ideologe who feels for them. Why don’t you reach out and give them shelter so they can cut you and your family’s head off. You F–CKING IDIOT.
Bombs do not Discriminate! Does not check Identification, for age, Gender, Religion, Or Race. United Nations must take Control ( Not United States!) The Civil answer is: Put on TRIAL to Explain “Why”! ( CRIMINALITY has all but Destroyed, Civility!)
Bert:
What is your point? Send them a cake every week or so. We are in a war and they keep telling us they are comming. Grow up.
All it says is “With knowledge of Lybian authorities” … I wouldn’t asking anymore. It got done and that is good enough. Thanks to the Air Force.
You can BET it wasn’t the POS in the “Black House”! He doesn’t like Blowing Up his muzzy buddies!
Don’t think it was Obama he is a coward
Hope it was a general and hope he has his sights on the Isis in D.C.
This and other strikes like this one should have been started a long, long time ago.
It’s an election year …time to brainwash the lemmings that this administration is doing something
We should never have followed Hilarity’s NWO Pogrom to depose Qaddafi; who had suppressed jihadists, voluntarily disassembled his nuclear program, and was supplying intel to the Western powers on terrorism.
But weapons needed to be seized from Libya and shipped to Syria to depose Assad to create another Failed State,
and there is no cold evil to equal Madame Hilarity when she has her targets lined up.
Strange how the USAF could make this bombing run, but couldn’t no ways make it to Benghazi. Perpetual War is just what the Oligarchs ordered up. Wait til the USSA-UN-NATO-Banksters smacks the nose of the Russian Bear one time too many……
Trump cannot be elected fast enough. The only candidate not bashing the Russians, who have been erroneously created as our next enemy.
Good job! Americans…
What do you call 40 dead ISIS members? A good start!
The world will be better off without ISIS. Everyone needs to understand that joining ISIS amounts to signing your death certificate. The U.S. military should do all it can to send all ISIS recruits to Mohammad as quickly as possible. They can wage their jihad in the great beyond.
Hopefully there was some “American Traitors” in this crowd also! That way we won’t have to deal with them coming back to America!
They should never be allowed to come back to the USA. They are terrorist and traitors to this country. Citizenship and passports should be removed, and they never should be allowed to come back into this country. Why does Congress have a problem with this ideal? They are Terrorists and Traitors.
I do apologize for having me wrong understanding about. I wanted to say to the American army destroy as much as possible the number of ISIS.
I sincerely apologize and l am an American, and l want to live in peace and freedom, along with all Americans.
Just sending them where they want to go- actually doing them a favor!
Ridding theworld of the devils spawn. Yahoo!
i think we sould bomb isis with pig blood,and woman pilots.
my sentiments exactly!
Finally learning how to do it from the Russians are we?
This is good. Will the EUCOM or I guess AFRICOM Intel analysts get to tell us the TRUTH? James CLapper, Director of the Office of National Intelligence has lied to the Senate committee, responsible for overmatched of lying POTUS. Clapped TOLD BG Steven Groves CENTCOM Inteligence Chief: ISIS is weak- the JV team– who is on VIDEO telling the American people that BS? Clapper’s boss Obozo, but it gets worse. That’s air attacks are working -BS. For months 6 flights a day, only two planes dropped bombs. CENTCOM’s professional Military analysts reported the TRUTH. Their reports were changed 50 (Fifty) are whistle blowers. RAND did a no name SURVEY. the plan spending Millions to raise Anti-ISIS army in Syria, has gone from hundreds being trained to 5? Liners say that’s working GOOD. No fraud, no Waste here move along. Clapper says no investigation is warranted, BECAUSE DOD may investigate. I only TRUST bozo and HIS political minions to Change America. How is that working out? Get ready to TRUST HilLIARy. National Debt (balanced budget- still Bush’s Fault??) and Racial climate? I love my doubled medical costs, NOT.
Overmatching was typed OVERWATCHING. Liners was LIERS.
Awesome! Keep it up Military Men
Muslim president Obama must have been playing golf, when are generals did this..?Obama pulling all of our troops out of Irac & calling ISSi the J.V. team is his MO on that issue He has got away with covering for the terrorist attack both here in the USA as well as world wide,, HE MUST BE IMPEACHED FOR TREASON , should have after the Bengozhi terrorist attack
I bet he got pissed when he heard abut it
You are right about that.
The US has the ability to win this war against ISIS, but they elect to do it by killing a few ISIS at a time. Bombing is just not going to do the job. After months of bombing ISIS are still growing, and this is because Obama has tied the hands of our military. We will never win against ISIS until a new President (Non Muslim) comes into office. Innocent people being be-headed, gassed, buried alive, and tortured to death while our Muslim President sits back and smiles; And The American people do nothing to remove Obama from office. Obama has shamed this country, and the new President has his work cut out for him.
GOD bless our United States Air Force and our United States Military. Thanks to ALL our military personnel for your courage and bravery. It is because of you that we are able to enjoy our freedom. Now all we need is a strong Leader to run this country. Donald Trump is my choice for the next President of the United States.
I wonder if obama sent leaflets to warn the terrorists about the bombing?
I wish that Scalia’s remains had been autopsied . I think its possible that Scalia was murdered by Obama’s thugs.
All in the Obama plan to make his legacy fit his idea of greatness !
this strike is a first step, but we need to mount a full fledged attack on these animals and keep it going until there are none standing… thank you to our military men and women.. god bless you
We should only listen to our Military that are fighting the animals and ignore what the White House says after all what happened to the Red Line he had drawn he turned tail and ran from his own words.
It would be nice if we had a Commander in Chief wouldn’t it.
Don’t worry, obummer warned them in time for them to leave.
Personally I would like to hear more about our efforts doing the same thing in Syria and Iraq where we can kill hundreds not tens of terrorists. Sometimes you wonder where the priorities are.
Well, well I wonder what in tarnation took so god forsaken long. Now instead of just dropping bombs, the Air Force should have nuked the Bastardo`s into oblivion and, created an oil well. Job done a bit late. However, better late than never. Semper Fi to our Air Force.
A strike, is better than none. However, several strikes at the same time at different camps would have really put a big dent and, hurt them and their ego just a bit more..