Christopher Livesay:

No-go zones are common, and they aren't relegated to checkpoints. In fact, entire swaths of Libya are lawless, and government officials fear to enter. We travel to one such area in Libya's far western region in order to see how freely ISIS has been able to operate. Driving us is a minder from the government in Tripoli. It's the first time in nearly a year they've allowed American TV journalists to enter the country. In return, the government insists on constant supervision. It's not long before we're completely outside the area controlled by any government. Our government minder locks all the doors. Our destination, Sabratha. It's home to an ancient amphitheater that more recently was the backdrop of a city overrun by terror.

ISIS took control in 2015, and asserted its authority by beheading 12 members of the security forces, and setting up its own checkpoints. Today, the tables are turned. Libyan police loyal to the government in Tripoli now check for ISIS militants. One of them tells me the city is safe, but checkpoints are common targets for terrorist attacks, and any one of these vehicles could be packed with explosives. Police are also looking for stolen fuel. ISIS is known to smuggle it from Libya's vast reserves and use the profits to fund their attacks. Libya's spot on the map makes it particularly attractive to terrorists. Parts of the sprawling country, three times the size of France, are ungoverned. And the country has largely uncontrolled borders, offering several gateways for action. We head for the beach, where just a few hundred miles of open sea separate Libya from Europe.

We're met by a Coast Guard commander named Jalal Dabashi. He says his top priority is cracking down on illegal migrants and the well-armed gangs who traffic them.