Sisi encouraged the continued participation of tribal leaders in the fight against “outlawed groups” because of their proximity to the borderlands. Military forces have tightened security measures on the Egypt-Libya border this week after Egypt carried out military strikes against affiliates of the Islamic State (IS) in Libya. Sisi ordered the attacks after a video was released on Sunday purporting to show the beheading of 21 abducted Coptic Christians in Libya by IS.
International entities have weighed in on the recent strikes in Libya, advocating for a political, not militarily-charged, solution. A joint statement from the U.S., U.K., Spain, France, Italy, and Germany released on Tuesday said they “strongly condemn all acts of terrorism in Libya” and emphasized the need for a “political solution.” At the same time, U.S. Department of State spokesperson Jen Psaki said in a briefing on Tuesday that the U.S. “respects the right of countries to make their own decisions about their own self-defense and defense of their own country.” The U.N. Security Council will convene an emergency meeting concerning Libya on Wednesday.