The EU pressed Libyan politicians to back a unity government Thursday, as the Islamic State group claimed suicide bombings that killed dozens and sparked fears of a jihadist expansion on Europe's doorstep. European Union foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini issued the plea as she met in a suburb of Tunis with Fayez al-Sarraj, a businessman who was named in a UN-brokered national unity government as prime minister designate.
"Libyans deserve peace and security," she said. "With the Libyan Political Agreement, with a presidency council, the government of national accord that we hope can be put in place soon, there is finally after so many months a real possibility to unite among Libyans and try to fight terrorism," she said. IS said one of its members, Abdallah al-Muhajer, "detonated a truck bomb in the middle of a base belonging to the apostate Libyan forces in the city of Zliten... killing nearly 80 of them and wounding 150". A security source had said more than 50 people were killed in the attack on a police training school, which left buildings charred and turned cars into twisted wrecks.