**East Libya Military Intelligence Chief Killed in Car Bomb Attack**
Benghazi, Libya – Major-General Fawzi al-Mansouri, the head of military intelligence for the Libyan National Army (LNA), was killed in a targeted assassination on Monday evening in Benghazi's Hawari district. According to eastern Libyan authorities, an improvised explosive device (IED) was detonated as he entered his vehicle outside his home.
The incident has been reported by various news agencies, including Reuters, which cited two security sources confirming the details of the attack. Al-Mansouri, who was appointed to his position in 2024, was a significant figure within the LNA, which is led by military commander Khalifa Haftar and controls much of eastern and southern Libya.
Osama Saad Hammad, the prime minister of the eastern Libyan government, condemned the assassination, labeling it a "treacherous terrorist act." In a statement released on Tuesday, he expressed his commitment to uncovering the circumstances surrounding al-Mansouri's death. "There is no place in Libya for anyone who raises arms against the state, and no cover for anyone who plans, executes, finances, or incites assassination and terrorism crimes," Hammad stated.
The killing of al-Mansouri underscores the ongoing security challenges facing Libya, a country that has been plagued by division and instability since the NATO-backed uprising that overthrew longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Following Gaddafi's ousting, Libya has remained divided between the UN-recognized Government of National Unity based in Tripoli, which governs much of the western region, and the rival eastern administration aligned with the LNA.
Since the split in 2014, various armed groups and rival factions have continued to exert influence across the country, despite a ceasefire agreement reached in 2020 that halted large-scale hostilities. The assassination of a high-ranking military official like al-Mansouri raises concerns about the security situation in the region and the potential for further violence as different factions vie for power.
As Libya grapples with these ongoing issues, the international community continues to monitor the situation, with calls for a unified government and stability in the region. The recent events highlight the fragile nature of peace in Libya and the complexities involved in establishing a cohesive national governance structure amidst persistent rivalries and armed conflicts.