Libya interior minister survives bid on his life

TRIPOLI: The interior minister of Libya’s unity government survived an assassination atempt on Sunday on a highway near the capital Tripoli, an official from his inner circle said.

Fathi Bashagha’s convoy “was fired on from an armoured car while he was on the highway.

“His police escort returned fire. Two of the assailants were arrested and a third is in hospital,” the source said, adding that “the minister is fine.”

Bashagha, a heavyweight in Libyan politics, was returning from a routine visit to a new security unit overseen by his department, the same source said.

The 58-year-old has served as interior minister in the North African country’s UNrecognised Government of National Accord since 2018 and has staked his reputation on batling corruption.

Libya has been riven by violence since a 2011 Nato-backed uprising that toppled and killed Muammar Qadhafi.

Two rival administrations, backed by an array of militias and foreign powers, have vied for control of the oil-rich country.

Bashagha had been seen as a favourite to lead a new interim government under Un-led peace efforts following an October ceasefire last year.

The post finally went to businessman Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, a 61-year-old engineer, who has called for reconstruction, democracy and reunification in Libya.

Recently, the UN special envoy to Libya met the country’s east-based military commander as part of efforts to unite rival factions in the war-torn North African nation ahead of elections in December.

During their meeting in the eastern city of Benghazi, UN envoy Jan Kubis and the Libyan commander, Khalifa Haftar, agreed on the importance for all Libyan parties to commit to and facilitate the Dec. 24 balloting, according to a statement for the UN mission in Libya.

The elections were laid out under a UNbacked political roadmap for the fractured country.

Kubis’ visit follows a key development earlier this month at UN- backed talks in Switzerland, when Libyan delegates chose a transitional government, with a prime minister and a three- member presidential council, meant to lead Libya through the elections.

The election was a major step towards unifying Libya and ending one of the most intractable conflicts let behind by the Arab Spring.