Bombing against Islamic State in Libya continues

WASHINGTON — U.S. airstrikes against the Islamic State group in Libya continued for a second day Tuesday, as President Barack Obama called the new bombing campaign critical to protecting U.S. national security interests.

The strikes are needed to ensure that Libya’s fragile new Government of National Accord is “able to finish the job” and drive the militants out of the troubled North African country, Obama said.

Obama authorized the Pentagon to open a new, more persistent military front against Islamic State insurgents in Libya after the internationally backed government there asked for help with precision-targeting inside the city of Sirte.

Obama said Tuesday that the campaign would continue for as long as necessary “to assure that ISIL does not get a stronghold in Libya.” He reiterated his regret that conditions in the country deteriorated since the NATO-led bombing campaign that drove longtime strongman Moammar Gadhafi from power in 2011.

“I think that all of us collectively were not sufficiently attentive to what had to happen the day after and the day after and the day after that in order to ensure that there were strong structures in place to assure basic security and peace inside of Libya,” he said. He added that the instability in the country helped fuel the migration crisis in Europe and humanitarian tragedies as people fled Libya.

Earlier this year, Islamic State militants tried to establish a headquarters in Libya, seeking safe haven as the group came under greater pressure from the U.S.-led coalition bombings in Iraq and Syria.

But the number of IS fighters in Libya has dwindled from as many as 6,000 to hundreds.

Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said U.S. airstrikes have targeted tanks, vehicles, a rocket launcher and Islamic State fighting positions.