WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is condemning the purported killing of 21 Egyptians by militants in Libya affiliated with the Islamic State group as “despicable” and “cowardly.”
White House press secretary Josh Earnest adds in a statement Sunday that the group’s barbarity “knows no bounds.”
Earnest says the killings underscore the need for a political resolution to the conflict in Libya. He says the situation in Libya only benefits terrorist groups, and he called on the Libyan people to unite in opposition to terrorism.
Video purporting to show the mass beheading of Coptic Christian hostages was released Sunday by IS.
To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.
The Associated Press could not independently verify the video. But the Egyptian government and the Coptic Church, which is based in Egypt, have said the video is authentic.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Listen to Sarah on the PoliticusUSA Pod on The Daily newsletter podcast here.
Sarah has been credentialed to cover President Barack Obama, then VP Joe Biden, 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and exclusively interviewed Speaker Nancy Pelosi multiple times and exclusively covered her first home appearance after the first impeachment of then President Donald Trump.
Sarah is two-time Telly award winning video producer and a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Connect with Sarah on Post, Mastodon @PoliticusSarah@Journa.Host, & Twitter.