This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-27696485
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 3 | Version 4 |
---|---|
Gen Khalifa Haftar: Libya bomb targets home near Benghazi | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A suicide bomb attack at the home of a rogue Libyan general - who has been leading an offensive against government-funded Islamist militia - has killed four people. | A suicide bomb attack at the home of a rogue Libyan general - who has been leading an offensive against government-funded Islamist militia - has killed four people. |
General Khalifa Haftar survived the blast, which happed at a farmhouse in the town of Abyar, about 60km (37 miles) east of Benghazi. | |
Several people were wounded. | Several people were wounded. |
Gen Haftar's forces have been waging a campaign against Islamist armed groups in Benghazi for almost three weeks. | Gen Haftar's forces have been waging a campaign against Islamist armed groups in Benghazi for almost three weeks. |
The general, who was an army chief-of-staff under Col Muammar Gaddafi, accuses the government of supporting terrorism, which the authorities deny. | |
His actions have been backed by an array of groups, including military forces in the east as well as some members of the air force. | His actions have been backed by an array of groups, including military forces in the east as well as some members of the air force. |
A suicide bomber drove a vehicle packed with explosives to the home of the renegade general on Wednesday. | A suicide bomber drove a vehicle packed with explosives to the home of the renegade general on Wednesday. |
General Sager Al-Jarushi, a senior commander allied to Gen Haftar, told the BBC that four of his guards were killed in the attack. | |
"A Toyota Chrysler packed with explosives approached the outside gate... they were stopped by the guards and the car exploded," he said. | "A Toyota Chrysler packed with explosives approached the outside gate... they were stopped by the guards and the car exploded," he said. |
Gen Haftar was unharmed, according to the commander. | Gen Haftar was unharmed, according to the commander. |
This is the first assassination attempt against the general since the launch of an offensive against hardline Islamists militias nearly three weeks ago, says the BBC's Rana Jawad in Tripoli. | This is the first assassination attempt against the general since the launch of an offensive against hardline Islamists militias nearly three weeks ago, says the BBC's Rana Jawad in Tripoli. |
Some 20 people died in fierce clashes between Gen Haftar's forces and Islamist fighters in Benghazi on Monday. | Some 20 people died in fierce clashes between Gen Haftar's forces and Islamist fighters in Benghazi on Monday. |
The groups being targeted by Gen Haftar's forces are the Ansar al-Sharia Islamist militia and the February 17 brigade, which fought against Gaddafi in 2011. | The groups being targeted by Gen Haftar's forces are the Ansar al-Sharia Islamist militia and the February 17 brigade, which fought against Gaddafi in 2011. |
No group has claimed responsibility for the latest attack. | No group has claimed responsibility for the latest attack. |
Libya is still in turmoil three years after the fall of Gaddafi - with political, religious and political factions locked in disagreement about the country's future. | Libya is still in turmoil three years after the fall of Gaddafi - with political, religious and political factions locked in disagreement about the country's future. |