People inspect the site after a car bomb hit the convoy of Abdel-Razeq Nathouri, the chief of staff of the eastern Libyan military, outside Benghazi, Libya April 18, 2018. REUTERS/Stringer

BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) - A car bomb hit the convoy of the chief of staff of the eastern Libyan military outside Benghazi on Wednesday, killing one person and wounding at least two other people, though he himself survived, security and military officials said.

Abdel-Razeq Nathouri was traveling from Benghazi to his base in al-Marj, a small eastern town, when his convoy was hit some 20 km (12 miles) outside Benghazi.

Nathouri, in a video which his office said was recorded after he had returned to his base, said a plot to assassinate him had failed.

Nathouri is chief of staff to forces run by Khalifa Haftar, who has been receiving medical treatment in Paris, a French source said on Friday, confirming earlier reports from Libyan officials and media.

No more details have been provided on the treatment of Haftar, whose forces control much of eastern Libya — home to some of the country’s biggest oilfields.

Haftar, a possible contender in national elections that could be held by the end of 2018, has built his reputation on delivering stability in Benghazi and beyond, promising to halt the anarchy that ensued after a NATO-backed uprising ended Muammar Gaddafi’s long rule nearly seven years ago.

Haftar launched his military campaign in Benghazi in May 2014 in response to a series of bombings and assassinations blamed on Islamist militants.

He declared victory in July but bombings hit two mosques this year in the port city.</s>The second-in-command of eastern Libyan military forces says he survived a car-bomb attack against his motorcade in the eastern capital of Benghazi. The attack comes amid uncertainty about the health of the top eastern Libya commander, General Khalifa Hafter

Saudi news channel al-Ikhbariya showed video of the site of the attack against General Abdel Razzaq Nazouri's vehicle in Benghazi

Nazouri, the number two commander for the eastern Libya forces, told Arab media he escaped the car-bomb unscathed and there were no casualties. He added his troops continue military operations against militants in the eastern coastal city of Derna.

Speculation continues to swirl over the fate of Nazouri's boss, Army Commander General Khalifa Hafter, who is reportedly in a Paris hospital.



Libyan media reported the general was transferred from his headquarters in eastern Libya to Jordan about a week ago, then flown to France for treatment.

His military spokesman denies Hafter has any serious health issues.

Nazouri also says Hafter is expected to return from abroad, shortly.

Al Haweily tells Arab media he thinks there is a struggle for succession inside the military forces loyal to Hafter, now that his health is deteriorating. 

 

 Eastern Libyan political and military leaders have denied such reports.

University of Paris Professor Khattar Abou Diab said the uncertainty about Hafter has added confusion to the political and military situation in eastern Libya.

He says the attack against Hafter's top commander looks like an effort by Islamist forces in Tripoli to regain control over the east of the country. That, he stresses, is a serious blow to the battle against terrorism in the east of the country and threatens the security of Libya's large eastern neighbor, Egypt.

Hafter's forces are battling militants in Derna, which is close to the Egyptian border. Cairo, which launched airstrikes against Derna several years ago, complains militants there use the town as a stepping stone for attacking Egypt.</s>Libyan military strongman Khalifa Haftar’s chief of staff on Wednesday survived a car bombing in the eastern city of Benghazi, according to his self-styled Libyan National Army.

General Abdelrazak al-Nadhuri “escaped unharmed from a terrorist assassination attempt after a car bomb exploded… as his convoy passed,” the LNA said in a statement.

The explosion took place in the Sidi Khalifa district at the eastern entrance to Benghazi, the statement said.

One civilian was killed in the attack and another was wounded, a spokesman for Benghazi’s al-Jala hospital told AFP.

Nadhuri’s spokesman Malek al-Sharif told AFP that the chief of staff, his bodyguards and those travelling with him were unharmed.

“This cowardly terrorist act comes after the defeat of these terrorist groups in Benghazi,” he told the Al-Hadath news outlet.

A security official in Benghazi, Majdi al-Orfi, told AFP that the two victims, a Syrian and a Sudanese national, were caught in the explosion. The Syrian died.

The attack comes amid a wave of rumours about the health of Haftar, who supports an administration based in the far east of Libya. He was in hospital in Paris last week after falling ill during a trip abroad.

The strongman has not made any public appearances in the past two weeks and social media has been abuzz with rumours.

After several denials, the LNA acknowledged Friday that Haftar had been hospitalised but was “in good health”.

Libya has been gripped by chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011, with rival administrations and multiple militias vying for control of the oil-rich country.

Last summer, Hafter announced the “total liberation” of Benghazi, after a three-year campaign to seize the city from jihadists who had made it a stronghold following the revolution.

He is accused by his rivals of wanting to establish a new military dictatorship in Libya.

Haftar supports a parliament based in the east of the country, while a UN-backed unity government in the capital Tripoli has struggled to assert its authority nationwide.

Jihadists with the Islamic State group remain active in central and southern Libya despite being forced out of their northern stronghold Sirte in 2016.</s>BENGHAZI, Libya: A car bomb hit a convoy of the chief of staff of the eastern Libyan military outside Benghazi on Wednesday, wounding at least three people, security officials said.

No more details were immediately available.</s>A car bomb hit the convoy of the chief of staff of the eastern Libyan military outside Benghazi on Wednesday, killing one person and wounding at least two other people, though he himself survived, security and military officials said, Reuters reported.

Abdel-Razeq Nathouri was traveling from Benghazi to his base in al-Marj, a small eastern town, when his convoy was hit some 20 km (12 miles) outside Benghazi.

Nathouri, in a video which his office said was recorded after he had returned to his base, said a plot to assassinate him had failed.

Nathouri is chief of staff to forces run by Khalifa Haftar, who has been receiving medical treatment in Paris, a French source said on Friday, confirming earlier reports from Libyan officials and media.

No more details have been provided on the treatment of Haftar, whose forces control much of eastern Libya — home to some of the country’s biggest oilfields.</s>At least one person was killed and two others wounded in Wednesday’s failed assassination attempt targeting Abdu Al Razak Nathori, the military governor of Libya’s eastern city Benghazi.Ahmed Mesmari, the spokesman of the Libyan army led by Khalifa Hafter said a bomb planted in a car parked on a side street went off as Nathori’s motorcade drove past in the city at noon on Wednesday.

No group has claimed responsibility for the abortive assassination attempt on the governor, a staunch ally of General Hafter.

According to French sources, Hafter is currently ill and is being treated at a Paris hospital.

Libya’s national unity government is based in the capital Tripoli but its authority is challenged by Haftar who is backed by a parallel administration in the east of the country and by the only elected parliament.

Libya has been caught up in a politico-security crisis since the fall and subsequent death of former leader, Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.</s>Libyan military strongman Khalifa Haftar’s chief of staff on Wednesday survived a car bombing in the eastern city of Benghazi, according to his self-styled Libyan National Army.

General Abdelrazak al-Nadhuri “escaped unharmed from a terrorist assassination attempt after a car bomb exploded… as his convoy passed,” the LNA said in a statement.

The explosion took place in the Sidi Khalifa district at the eastern entrance to Benghazi, the statement said.

One civilian was killed in the attack and another injured, a spokesman for Benghazi’s al-Jala hospital told AFP.

Gen Nadhuri’s spokesman Malek al-Sharif told AFP that the chief of staff, his bodyguards and those travelling with him were unharmed.

The attack comes after Mr Haftar, who supports an administration based in the far east of Libya, was in hospital in Paris last week after falling ill during a trip abroad.

The strongman has not many any public appearance in the past two weeks and social media has been abuzz with rumours.

After several denials, the LNA acknowledged Friday that Mr Haftar had been hospitalised but was “in good health”.

Libya has been gripped by chaos since a Nato-backed uprising toppled and killed longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, with rival administrations and multiple militias vying for control of the oil-rich country.

Last summer, Mr Haftar announced the “total liberation” of Benghazi, after a three-year campaign to seize the city from jihadists who had made it a stronghold following the revolution.

Mr Haftar supports a parliament based in the east of the country, while a UN-backed unity government in the capital Tripoli has struggled to assert its authority nationwide.

Jihadists with the Islamic State group remain active in central and southern Libya despite being forced out of their northern stronghold Sirte in 2016.</s>BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) - A car bomb hit a convoy of the chief of staff of the eastern Libyan military outside Benghazi on Wednesday, killing one and wounding at least two people, security and military officials said.

Abdel-Razeq Nathouri was traveling from Benghazi to his base in al-Marj, a small eastern town, when the convoy hit him some 20 km outside Benghazi.

No more details were immediately available.

Nathouri is chief of staff to forces run by Khalifa Haftar, who has been receiving medical treatment in Paris, a French source said on Friday, confirming earlier reports from Libyan officials and media.

No more details have been provided on the treatment of Haftar, whose forces control much of eastern Libya — home to some of the country’s biggest oilfields.</s>BENGHAZI, Libya — A spokesman says the chief of staff of the self-styled Libyan national army has survived an attempted assassination by a car bomb in the eastern city of Benghazi.

Ahmed al-Mesmari says Wednesday’s explosion targeted the convoy of Brig. Gen. Abdel-Razek al-Nadhouri in the Sedi Khalifa neighbourhood. He says there were no causalities and didn’t elaborate.

The news came amid a state of uncertainty over the health of Khalifa Hifter, the leader of the eastern-based army, who is in France for medical treatment.

Libya was plunged into chaos following 2011’s uprising and is now split between rival governments, each backed by an array of militias.

Islamic State fighters had established footholds amid the disorder but have been mostly driven out of the main cities</s>Abdel-Razeq Nathouri was going from Benghazi to the base in the small eastern town of al-Marj, when the convoy was hit by an explosion some 20 km outside Benghazi.

Nathouri is chief of staff to forces run by Khalifa Haftar, the head of the Libyan National Army.

No further information has been provided yet, though AFP news agency said that the commander has managed to survive the assassination attempt.
A car bomb targeting a military official in Benghazi, Libya kills one and injures two. The official survives.