ISIS Making Gains In Libya

NPR

Published June 11, 2015 at 1:12 PM EDT

Members of forces loyal to Libya's Islamist-backed parliament General National Congress (GNC) prepare to launch attacks as they continue to fight Islamic State (IS) group jihadists on the outskirts of Libya's western city of Sirte on March 16, 2015. (Mahmud Turkia/AFP/Getty Images)

It’s been nearly four years since the Libyan revolution brought about the fall of longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. The country is now split between two governments: an Islamist-led government in control of Tripoli, and a democratically-elected parliament trying to govern from the far east of the country, backed by rival militias.

With this power and security vacuum, extremist militants have been able to gain ground in the country. Just this week, ISIS militants seized full control of the key coastal city of Sirte; they’re now advancing on Misrata. Also this week, there was a battle in Derna, a coastal city further east, between ISIS and al-Qaida-linked militants.

Here & Now‘s Robin Young checks in with journalist Marine Olivesi, who is in Misrata, about the situation on the ground.

Guest

Marine Olivesi, freelance radio reporter. She tweets @marineolivesi.