Clinton’s Efforts to Oust Gaddafi Led to Rise of Daesh - Bernie Sanders

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Former US State Secretary Hillary Clinton’s success at ousting Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi led to the emergence of the Islamic State terror group, also known as Daesh, Democratic US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders said in an interview with The Guardian on Friday.

"Secretary Clinton voted for that war," Sanders said. "She was proud to have been involved in the regime change in Libya with Gaddafi without worrying, I think, about the day after."

Gaddafi ruled as the Revolutionary Chairman of the Libyan Arab Republic from 1969 to 1977. Following that period, he ruled as leader of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya until 2011, when he was toppled during the Libyan Civil War.

Gaddafi was massacred by Islamist fighters after being discovered hiding in a culvert west of Sirte in October 2011.

Sanders pointed out he voted against the US war in Iraq and has been against the country’s military engagement elsewhere in the region.

"God, I only wish that I had been successful in stopping that war given all that has since with the rise of ISIS [Islamic State] and so forth," he added.

On Friday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said the newly-agreed peace deal between rival factions will help to get Libya back on track to restoring its statehood after four years of division.