US ready to resume airstrikes in Libya if needed - Pentagon

The United States is prepared to carry out more air strikes against Daesh militants in Sirte if requested by Libya’s UN-backed government, even though the militant group no longer controls much territory there, the Pentagon said on Monday.

Since August the United States has carried out more than 350 air strikes against Daesh at the request of the Government of National Accord (GNA). However, none have been carried out since 31 October, officials said.

“If additional air strikes are needed, we will be prepared to deliver those air strikes,” Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said at a news conference.

Daesh took full control of Sirte, a city of some 80,000 inhabitants, in early 2015. Its loss would leave the jihadist group without any territorial control in Libya.

Libyan forces have the remaining militants in Sirte surrounded in part of the Ghiza Bahriya neighborhood. US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, estimated that only a few blocks of the city were controlled by a few dozen Daesh fighters.