By: M.Dinata*)
The Islamic State (IS) has made is a mess in Irak and Syria, now they are trying to gain its foothold in Libya. IS has bombed an upmarket hotel in the capital, Tripoli, in January, and releasing a video earlier this month showing the beheading of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians it had kidnapped.
It is not surprising if IS want to take over some cities in Libya such as Benghazi, Sirte and Derna, as their base. Mohammad Ali Ahdash, Professor of Islamic Studies at the European Academy and the Islamic Centre, London, United Kingdom, says “There is a study which shows that after Saudi Arabia, most of the fighters who went to Syria were from Libya.” Libya’s UN-backed government also believes the fighters are now returning.
Libya is in collapse condition now, it has been chaotic since Muhammar Gadaffi regime coupped by a NATO-backed offensive in 2011. Moreover, Libya is rich in oil which make it has a big allure for IS funding. These condition has made Libya a magnet for Jihadis from other parts of Africa, especially those who fled northern Mali after a French-led military operation take over their territory in 2013.
Mr. Ahdash says that he doesn’t believe IS and its affiliates have a huge presence in Libya, but in other hand, Patrick Skinner, a former CIA case officer, says that there are around 1,000 to 3,000 IS loyalists in Libya, many of whom have combat experience in Iraq and Syria. Regardless, Thomas Joscelyn, senior editor of the Long War Journal, says that IS’s strength have to be diminished, before it grows stronger in Libya. “These zones are more aspirational than they are real,” he said.
There is no specific data about how many IS members and affiliates in Libya, but even they are only a few or only in small areas, it still can be threat for the country and make the situation worse. Its presence can also provide unsafe feeling to the citizens in Libya.
*) The Author Is Brunei Darussalam Contributors.