According to the government spokesperson Hatem al-Ureibi, officials have filed a series of requests to the members of the world community and to the leaders of the League of Arab States asking for military assistance in order to regain Sirte from ISIL militants.
#Libya | Defense minister spokesman in #Tripoli government launched "the liberation of #Sirte" from #ISIL pic.twitter.com/0BSNpb9u94
— Zaid Benjamin (@zaidbenjamin) August 11, 2015
Hatem al-Ureibi also expressed concerns over possible prolongation of ISIL occupation of the city that could pose threat to the security of the entire Mediterranean region.
So far, during the occupation of Sirte, ISIL militants have committed a row of atrocities. In particular, jihadists beheaded twelve armed people and hanged their bodies on the crosses of the city, according to state news agency LANA. Another 22 residents were killed for resistance right in the hospital, as they were lying wounded in the wards. Militants afterward burnt the medical establishment down.
ISIL killed over 150 in Libya’s Sirte in 4 days Read: http://t.co/7TUzePjwt9 pic.twitter.com/Mi8vVm4sxU
— Press TV (@PressTV) August 15, 2015
The number of casualties in Sirte increases constantly – by the end of Friday clashes left between 150 and 200 citizen dead, according to AFP.
"A real massacre is taking place, and we call on the international community to intervene," Libya’s ambassador to France said to AFP.