1 – 7 Nov: Clashes re-erupt in Benghazi

Nov 7, 2017 | Other Jihadi Actors

On 5 November, the GNA- appointed Deputy Minister for Interior in Benghazi, Faraj Gaem, survived an IED assassination attempt on his motorcade. Seven of his men were badly injured. On the same day, intense clashes broke out in Benghazi’s city centre between the Libyan National Army (LNA) and ‘remnants’ of the Benghazi Revolutionaries Shura Council (BRSC). Three LNA fighters were killed in the clashes and another 10 were injured. This fighting comes after a long lull and the presumed completion of these battles

Another LNA fighter was killed by an IED in the nearby Sabri area, becoming the 470th casualty in the last 4 months of the IEDs and booby traps still littering the area. The recently reopened Benina airport issued a warning on 6 November saying that it will suspend all flights if security mandates and authorities are not clearly defined.

Libyan-Swiss magnate Basit Igtet has published a series of videos over the last week calling on the Muslim Brotherhood’s Justice and Construction Party (JCP) to disband and formally apologise to the Libyan people. The JCP has unsurprisingly rejected Igtet’s call to disband.

On 3 November, the Government of National Accord (GNA) aligned Rada Special Deterrent Forces raided a comic con convention in Tripoli. They reportedly arrested over 20 organizers, participants and visitors. Rada is led by Madkhali Salafist Abdurrauf Kara. It reportedly accused those arrested of crimes against public morals and Islam, including atheism, believing in Halloween and distorting the minds of youth. Some of those arrested were later released after being beaten. Six remain under arrest.