Egypt urges strong global action against terror groups

　　CAIRO, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- Egypt on Monday urged theinternational community to take a unified stance to face the terrorgroups, according to a statement by the Foreign Ministry.

　　The appeal came one day after the Islamic State (IS) militantgroup released a video purporting to show the beheading of 21Egyptians in the turmoil-stricken Libya.

　　The statement said that Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukriheaded to New York on Monday to hold talks with UNSecretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other senior officials on meansto face terrorism.

　　"Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri will ask senior United Nationsofficials in New York to take strong, effective and tough actionsagainst terrorist organizations that share the same extremistideology," the ministry's spokesman, Badr Abdel-Aaty, said in thestatement.

　　Earlier in the day, Egypt announced for the first time launchingairstrikes against IS targets in Libya.

　　Head of the Libyan air forces, Saqer al-Joroushi, said laterthat the raids killed over 40 suspected IS militants.

　　Meanwhile, official MENA news agency reported that Egypt andFrance called for a UN Security Council meeting to take new anti-ISaction following a phone call between Egyptian PresidentAbdel-Fattah al-Sisi and his French counterpart, Francois Hollande.Enditem