Major General Fawzi al-Mansouri, the head of military intelligence for the Libyan National Army (LNA) in the east, was killed in a targeted assassination, according to a statement from Libya's eastern-based government.
The incident occurred late on Monday when an improvised explosive device was triggered just as al-Mansouri was getting into his car outside his home in the Hawari district of Benghazi. Reuters quoted two security sources confirming the information.
The prime minister of Libya's eastern government, Osama Saad Hammad, condemned the killing and pledged to “uncover the circumstances of the crime.” In a statement released on Tuesday, Hammad emphasized: “We condemn in the strongest terms this treacherous terrorist act. There is no room for anyone raising weapons against the state in Libya, and there is no cover for those who plan, execute, finance, or incite assassination and terrorist crimes.”
Al-Mansouri was appointed Director of Military Intelligence in Benghazi with the rank of major general in 2024.
The assassination highlights Libya's persistent security challenges, where rival governments and armed groups continue to wield influence despite the 2020 ceasefire that ended major fighting.
Libya has been divided since 2014 between eastern and western factions following the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi. The LNA, commanded by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, controls much of the east and south, aligned with the Benghazi-based administration. Meanwhile, the internationally recognized Government of National Accord sits in Tripoli, controlling most of the west.
