Isis released a video appearing to show the killing of a group of Ethiopian Christians in Libya in April of this year

Hundreds of British troops are being lined up to go to Libya as part of a major new international mission to help stabilise the North African country and combat Islamic State.

Military personnel from Italy, France, Spain, Germany and the United States will also take part in an operation that looks set to be activated once the rival warring factions inside Libya agree to form a single government of national unity.

Along with Britain, these countries are working with the European Union and United Nations and have been dubbed “P3+5”. They are aiming to support the fledging Libyan authorities politically, by rebuilding organs of state and training security forces.

The goal to form a single government, which has seemed impossible since the collapse of