The head of intelligence for Haftar's forces was killed in a car bombing in Benghazi
Fawzi al-Mansouri, head of military intelligence for the Libyan National Army (LNA) commanded by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, was killed in a car bombing in Benghazi, Libya. According to Euronews, an explosive device attached to al-Mansouri’s car detonated on Monday evening as he was leaving a local mosque.
Al-Mansouri was a high-ranking official in the LNA’s intelligence apparatus and had close ties to Haftar’s family. He played an important role in the LNA’s campaign against jihadist groups, particularly the “Islamic State,” in eastern Libya from 2014 to 2017. He was also one of the key figures during Haftar’s forces’ offensive on Tripoli in 2019, which was supported by the Russian Federation—an aggressor state—and Egypt. The offensive was ultimately halted by forces loyal to the Tripoli-based government, which was supported by Turkey.
LNA Chief of General Staff Khaled Haftar, son of Khalifa Haftar, announced the launch of an investigation. According to him, the available evidence points to the use of terrorist tactics. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the explosion, and the perpetrators of the attack have not been identified.
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Later, Khaled Haftar’s office announced the arrest in Benghazi of a “terrorist cell” that, according to the statement, was planning sabotage operations. The statement did not specify whether those arrested were linked to al-Mansouri’s murder. On Tuesday, a funeral was held in the city for the victim, attended by high-ranking LNA officials, including Khaled and Saddam Haftar.
The government in Tripoli condemned al-Mansouri’s killing, calling it a terrorist attack. Libya remains divided between the administration in Tripoli, led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, and the rival administration in Benghazi, supported by Khalifa Haftar.
Verisk Maplecroft analyst Hamish Kinnir stated that an attack of this magnitude in a city controlled by the LNA deals a blow to the reputation of Haftar’s forces as guarantors of security. Libya expert Jalel Harshawi believes the assassination could derail or, at the very least, delay the Washington-backed plan to unify the rival Libyan administrations.
