Libyan National Army Intelligence Chief Killed in Benghazi Bombing

A car bomb killed the military intelligence chief of the Libyan National Army in the eastern city of Benghazi, the force announced on Tuesday.

The assassination occurred in a city long regarded as the main stronghold of military commander Khalifa Haftar. It comes as international and domestic efforts to reunify the divided country continue.

The Libyan National Army controls the east and parts of southern Libya. It has not released further details about the circumstances of the attack or the identity of those responsible.

Benghazi, Libya's second-largest city, has experienced repeated bouts of violence since the 2011 uprising that ended Muammar Gaddafi's rule. The city served as a base for forces aligned with Haftar during subsequent conflicts.

Libya has remained split between rival administrations since the 2014 civil war. The Government of National Unity, internationally recognised and based in Tripoli, controls the west, while Haftar's Libyan National Army dominates the east.

Talks aimed at holding national elections and forming a unified government have repeatedly stalled. The killing of a senior intelligence figure in Haftar's core territory adds to doubts about stability in areas under his control.

According to France24 Africa, the assassination raises fresh questions over security in the Libyan National Army's heartland at a time when reconciliation initiatives are under way.

The blast is the latest in a series of targeted attacks in eastern Libya. Such incidents highlight the persistent challenges facing any political settlement in the oil-rich North African state.

Based on reporting by France24 Africa.