Libya's military intelligence chief killed in car bomb blast

Brigadier General Fawzi Mansouri, the military intelligence chief of the Libyan National Army in eastern Libya, was killed in a car bomb explosion in Benghazi.

The attack took place on Monday evening, August 10, outside his residence in the Hawari area of the eastern city.

Two security sources confirmed the matter to Reuters.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the sources said Mansouri died instantly when an explosive device that had been planted in his car detonated while he was standing beside it. They did not provide any details on who was involved or the nature of the device.

The assassination has once again highlighted the fragility of security and the ongoing challenges in Libya. Although a formal ceasefire agreement in 2020 ended large-scale deadly conflict, rival armed groups continue to maintain influence and remain active across the country.

Libya has been mired in political instability since the fall of longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi in a NATO-backed uprising in 2011. In 2014, the country split into two rival factions controlling the east and west.

Currently, the Libyan National Army, led by military commander Khalifa Haftar, controls most of eastern and southern Libya and operates in coordination with a Benghazi-based administration. Meanwhile, the Government of National Unity controls most of the western part of the country.

Source: Reuters