By Mustafa Caglayan

NEW YORK 

UN chief Ban Ki-moon met Tuesday with Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on the eve of an emergency Security Council session on Libya.

The meeting came amid calls by Egypt to the Council to authorize international intervention in Libya after militants with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL, released a video apparently showing the mass beheading of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians.

During the meeting, the Secretary-General "discussed with the minister issues of mutual concern, including the situations in Libya and Gaza, and the fight against terrorism," a statement issued by his office said.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry and diplomats at the UN earlier Tuesday said the Security Council would meet in an emergency session on Wednesday, with Shoukry, Libyan Foreign Minister Mohamed al-Dairi and the UN envoy to Libya expected to give briefings.

Egypt’s army on Monday launched airstrikes against ISIL positions in eastern Libya, hours after the release of the video.