On 19 February 2016, the United States conducted a large series of bombings in Sabratha. The United States said that ISIL training camps were the target. The strike killed Noureddine Chouchane, a Tunisian resident who was blamed for having links to the 2015 Sousse attacks in Tunisia. The Pentagon later released a statement saying the intention was to weaken the chances of ISIL continuing the construction of new training camps and the ability to recruit new members.