Intelligence Chief for Eastern Libya Killed in Benghazi Car Bombing

Fauzi Al-Mansouri, the head of military intelligence for the Libyan National Army (LNA), was killed Monday in a car bomb attack in Benghazi. According to a statement from the LNA, an explosive device attached to his vehicle detonated as he was leaving a local mosque at night. The LNA described Al-Mansouri as a heroic martyr who had played key roles in fighting jihadist groups and in the 2019 offensive to seize Tripoli.

Khaled Haftar, son of LNA chief Khalifa Haftar, stated that an investigation is underway and described the assassination as a despicable terrorist tactic. While the Tripoli-based government also condemned the attack as a terrorist act, authorities have not yet identified the perpetrators. Khaled Haftar later noted that a terrorist cell had been arrested in Benghazi for preparing acts of sabotage, though he did not confirm a link to the killing.

Analysts suggest the attack is a significant blow to the security credentials of the LNA in its own stronghold. Experts noted that the sophistication of the attack indicates significant capabilities by the responsible actor and may disrupt a Washington-mediated plan to unify the country's executive powers. The assassination occurred amid a long-standing division between the UN-recognised administration in Tripoli and the rival administration in Benghazi backed by Khalifa Haftar.