Egypt called Tuesday for UN-backed international intervention in libya after launching air strikes on Islamic State group targets following the jehadis’ beheadings of Egyptian Christians. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said “there is no choice” but to create a global coalition to confront the extremists in libya, in an interview aired by France’s Europe 1 radio.
Egypt’s Foreign Minister was in New York seeking backing from UN Security Council members for military intervention and to demand “full support” against the jehadists, a Ministry spokesman said.
The diplomatic push comes a day after Egyptian F-16s bombed militant bases in Derna and on the February 17 anniversary of the beginning of the 2011 Nato-backed revolt that ousted dictator Muammar Gaddafi.
The raids were ordered hours after ISIS in libya released a gruesome video showing the beheadings of 21 Coptic Christians who had travelled there seeking work. UN High Commissioner for human rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on Tuesday called the murders a “vile crime targeting people on the basis of their religion”.