By Theodore Shoebat (Shoebat Exclusive)
Several sources from within the city of Derna Libya confirmed that ISIS in a surprise move decided to pack up and completely escape from their stronghold coastal city of Derna on the Mediterranean seacoast.
Reason?
Italy declared that warships will be sent for exercises in the Libyan shores to intimidate ISIS after the latter announced in its branch in Sirte for the execution of five Libyans charged of dealing with the enemies of the Islamic State.
The Arab Emirates news media, Al-Khaleej, had the story titled “Italian Naval Maneuvers From Italy To Tripoli (Libya) And ISIS Flees From Derna“.
Italian military sources said that several Italian Navy ships were already deployed yesterday towards Libya claiming to conduct naval exercises on the territorial waters of the shores of Tripoli borders. But a spokesman from the Ministry of Defense stated that the maneuvers aimed at terrifying ISIS.
The call by ISIS to evacuate completely from Derna, which surprised most people ordered all fighters to get out quickly which started at midnight on Friday through Saturday in which ISIS fled to the nearby mountain at Ras Al-Hilal area.
“Most camps, government buildings occupied by groups loyal to ISIS are free of militants” one local stated adding “We were surprised by this escape which had no obvious reasons so far and even our contact with leaders of the army did not confirm any progress or any movement by the army towards the city.”
Initially, one Libyan military leader guessed that the sudden move might be repositioning themselves in mountainous areas that provide a natural cover from fighter jets.
Yet, several sources from within the city of Derna Libya confirmed that ISIS escaped from the city, at a time when Italy declared that the Italian warships were coming.
The soldiers of the Reggimento San Marco arrived in La Spezia in the middle of the night. They crossed the sleeping city and proceeded next to the Arsenal until they arrived at a military base where they found everything prepared for action.
Yesterday too saw the arrival in La Spezia of the Nave San Giorgio, which had never been there before and which is prepared for an amphibian action.
The ship was kept rather hidden and today, after lunchtime, having taken in soldiers and equipment, it sailed.
It would seem the ship’s next stop is Augusta in Sicily where it will take on reinforcements.
It would seem, from speculation in the Italian media, that the intended action will take place near Misurata where there is the Libyan end of the ENI oil pipeline which till today has been defended by an Islamic militia which it seems can no longer do so.
Some Italian media are saying the Italian troopers will land near Misurata to defend the oil pipeline instead of the Libyan Islamic militia.
Italian foreign minister Paolo Gentiloni said Friday, “Italy is ready to do its part in Libya,” but only once the United Nations (UN) has taken the initiative.
Briefing the lower house of the parliament, Gentiloni said the government was waiting for an international effort in the war-torn North African nation before acting. “Right now, the game is international,” he said in comments on Middle East and global issues.
Talking about anti-terrorism in Libya, Gentiloni said: “Italy will do everything to defend its security, counteracting this barbarism.”
Italy, along with the rest of Europe, has worried about gains made in Libya by armed terrorists who may use the North African country as a springboard for attacks in Europe.
On Thursday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, Gentiloni and Italy’s defense minister Roberta Pinotti in Rome, to talk about the issues in Libya and Ukraine. During his meeting with Stoltenberg, Gentiloni said, “Libya must be a focus of NATO,” describing the stability of the North African country as “strategic” for Italy.
The locals expressed that the feelings of the people of the city after ISIS’s departure was met with “great satisfaction at the lack of black flags and armed convoys,” since ISIS dominated their region, which forced them to “pay taxes and change their patterns of behavior to follow a strict code of Islam.”
It is also noteworthy to mention that Egypt entered officially – and in real terms – the war on the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) through the Libyan gateway this week, after Jordan stepped up its military operations against ISIS last week through the Syrian path. Iraq has pledged to crush ISIS on its territory, which has seen intensive airstrikes conducted by the U.S.-led international coalition.
From a biblical prophetic perspective, the Italians are prophesied by God to be one of the enemies of the Antichrist. The prophet Daniel foretold:
For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant. (Daniel 11:30)
Chittim is located in Cyprus, and also encompasses the rest of Greece and the whole of Italy. For Josephus, in his own words, describes Chittim as
Cyprus: and from that it is that all islands, and the greatest part of the seacoasts, are named Cethim by the Hebrews (Antiquities, 1.6.1, trans. William Whiston)
From this we know that Josephus saw Chittim with a twofold significance, in that while it is Cyprus it comprises also mainland Greece and Italy, as we learn from Rawlinson (The Origin of Nations, part 2, ch. 2, pp. 185-186). Moreover, in far antiquity, as we learn from the ancient historian Justin, Italy was called Greater Greece, or Magna Graecia (Justin, 20.2). Therefore, Italy, through an ancient lens, can be viewed as a part of Greece, and therefore constitutes as Chittim.
Shoebat.com maintains that when the last Islamic confederacy (Ezekiel 30) is led by Turkey’s revived Ottoman Empire (Lydia) and its leader, the Antichrist, the Muslims will invade Rome, but just like their predecessors, they will fail. They will not succeed because Paul said, “To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints”. There is a divine plan for Rome, and this great destiny will prevent the Muslims, as it always has, from conquering the city.
Perhaps this event is a prelude and a type of what is to come.
Christos Vincit!
SOURCES