Saturday, February 21, 2015

"What Difference Does It Make?" UPDATE: At Least 25 Dead in Three Simultaneous Attacks by Islamic Terrorists in Eastern Libya

2/21/2015

Turmoil created by Barack Obama's decision to remove Muammar Qaddafi from power and Hillary Clinton's order for American forces to "stand down" during Bengazi attack explodes.

TRIPOLI – At least 25 people were killed and 30 others were injured in three simultaneous bomb attacks in eastern Libya, security sources in Benghazi told Efe.

A car bomb exploded outside the home of Aguila Saleh, the speaker of Libya’s only internationally recognized parliament, in al-Quba, 30 kilometers (19 miles) west of Derna, a city controlled by the Islamic State jihadist group.

A second car bomb detonated near the city’s Security Directorate and the third and bloodiest exploded at a gas station where there was a long queue of cars waiting to refuel.

The source, who gave no further details or a breakdown of the casualties, observed that the third attack was the first of its kind to be committed against civilians.

Libya has been plunged into chaos since the fall of strongman Muammar al-Gaddafi in 2011.

Two parliaments and two governments struggle for control of the country: one dominated by Islamists that is based in Tripoli, and another, internationally recognized one in the eastern city of Tobruk.

Earlier this week, the latter parliament, led by Aguila Saleh, asked the United Nations to lift the arms embargo it imposed on Libya in 2011, in order to fight IS and other extremist militias.

Friday’s triple attacks occurred a few days after Egypt launched air raids against IS positions in Derna, 460 kilometers (286 miles) east of Tripoli, in retaliation for the beheading of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians in the eastern city of Sirte.


source

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