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Fight against Islamic state

IS will control Mediterranean shore in 2 months unless West helps Libya – former Libyan PM

The Islamic State officially declared its presence in Libya in a special video message last month

Former Prime Minister of Libya Ali Zeidan EPA/STR

Former Prime Minister of Libya Ali Zeidan

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LONDON, February, 10. /TASS/. The militants of IS terrorist group would control territory on the shores of Mediterranean “within two months” unless West helped Libya to counteract the extremists, the former PM of Libya Ali Zeidan claimed in his comments published on Tuesday in the Times newspaper.

Zeidan expressed concern that the IS would seek to extend the declared “Caliphate” to the territory of Libya after the IS terrorists managed to put several territories of Iraq and Syria under control. The former head of Libyan government warned about the expansion of the IS and its presence everywhere.

According to Zeidan the IS branch in Libya consisting of local citizens steps up its presence in the majority of big cities of the country and engages fighters from other Islamist groups.

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Ali Zeidan expressed his hope that the world community took the problem seriously. The situation in Libya was still under control, but left as it was it would not be controlled so successfully as it used to be, the former Libyan PM added. There would be a big war in the country, and in Europe too, he warned.

Last autumn the militants from the Mediterranean city Derna were the first to swear allegiance to the IS. The city is close to European borders – only 200 miles from the Greek island of Crete.

This year there were reports that the IS terrorists taking advantage of the chaos in managing the country since the overthrow of Muammar Kaddafi’s regime start to establish their rules in the capital city of Tripoli.

The IS officially declared its presence in Libya in a special video message last month, when the leaders of the local IS branch declared their intention to extend their influence all over the country.

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Libya Islamic State

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