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Libyan prime minister escapes assassination attempt in Tobruk Libyan prime minister escapes assassination attempt in Tobruk
(about 1 hour later)
Gunmen tried to assassinate Libya’s internationally-recognised prime minister on his way to the airport in the eastern city of Tobruk on Tuesday, a spokesman for his government said. Gunmen tried to assassinate Libya’s internationally-recognised prime minister on his way to the airport in the eastern city of Tobruk on Tuesday.
Arish Said, head of the government’s media department, said that prime minister Abdullah al-Thinni’s motorcade was attacked and one of his guards was lightly wounded. Abdullah al-Thinni told pan-Arab news channel al-Arabiya that after he left parliament in Tobruk and drove off, gunmen in several cars followed his entourage and opened fire.
“They managed to escape,” Said said. “We were surprised by a lot of bullets … Thank God, we managed to escape,” Thinni said, adding that one bodyguard had been wounded.
Prior to the attack, he said armed men who had been protesting outside a session of the Tobruk government’s house of representatives tried to storm the building, firing shots and demanding al-Thinni be removed from office. He did not elaborate but his cabinet said in a statement the gunmen had been “paid criminals” who had previously tried to storm parliament.
Arish Said, head of the government’s media department, said armed men who had been protesting outside a session of the Tobruk government’s house of representatives tried to storm the building before the attack on Thinni, firing shots and demanding the prime minister be removed from office.
Related: War in Libya - the Guardian briefingRelated: War in Libya - the Guardian briefing
They were “threatening to kill the prime minister and force the house to sack him,” Said said. He identified the men as being funded by “corrupted political financiers” linked to powerful Tobruk tribal leaders, without elaborating.They were “threatening to kill the prime minister and force the house to sack him,” Said said. He identified the men as being funded by “corrupted political financiers” linked to powerful Tobruk tribal leaders, without elaborating.
Nearly four years after the ousting of Muammar Gaddafi, Libya is consumed by civil war. The country split is between an elected parliament and weak government, and a rival government and parliament in Tripoli set up by the Islamist-linked militias that took control the capital, forcing the government to relocate to the far eastern cities of Tobruk and Bayda. Nearly four years after the ousting of Muammar Gaddafi, Libya is consumed by civil war. The country is split between an elected parliament and weak government, and a rival government and parliament in Tripoli set up by the Islamist-linked militias who took control of the capital, forcing the government to relocate to the far eastern cities of Tobruk and Bayda.
The turmoil has enabled the rise of an active Islamic State branch, which now controls at least two cities along the country’s coastline.The turmoil has enabled the rise of an active Islamic State branch, which now controls at least two cities along the country’s coastline.
Earlier on Tuesday, Human Rights Watch said civilians, including foreign nationals, are trapped in several neighbourhoods in Libya’s eastern city of Benghazi, urging fighters there to let them leave. Earlier on Tuesday, Human Rights Watch said civilians, including foreign nationals, were trapped in several neighbourhoods in Libya’s eastern city of Benghazi, urging fighters there to let them leave.
In a statement, the US-based group says militias and army units have surrounded the downtown areas, where several hundred people are reportedly trapped and not allowed to leave. Some of those trapped are thought to be Syrians and Palestinians. In a statement, the US-based group says militias and army units surrounded the downtown areas, where several hundred people were reportedly trapped and not allowed to leave. Some of those trapped are thought to be Syrians and Palestinians.
Middle East and North Africa director Sarah Leah Whitson said that all forces involved must take all feasible precautions to minimise harm to civilians and civilian property, and that the Libyan army and militias must allow civilians safe passage and facilitate access to badly-needed aid. Middle East and North Africa director Sarah Leah Whitson said that all forces involved must take all feasible precautions to minimise harm to civilians and civilian property and that the Libyan army and militias must allow civilians safe passage and facilitate access to badly needed aid.