BENGHAZI (Italy), July 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least four people were killed and 33 wounded when two car bombs exploded at a funeral for a former special forces commander in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi.
Those killed in Thursday’s blast were two civilians and two soldiers, while soldiers, police, and civilians were among the injured, east-based Interior Ministry spokesman Tarek el-Kharraz said.
Several senior Libya National Army (LNA) figures, including current head of the special forces Wanis Bukhamada, attended the funeral service when the explosions happened, but none of the military leaders was killed or wounded, Kharraz said.
Medical sources said the death toll could rise as many of those wounded were in critical condition.
Colonel Khalifa Alobiedi, a military engineer who was at the bomb site, said initial findings suggested the attack was caused by two bomb-laden cars. He pointed to two burned vehicles about 10 metres apart.
No immediate claim of responsibility was made.
Renegade commander Khalifa Haftar leads the LNA, which is aligned with an eastern-based government.
Shortly after the explosions, Haftar ordered an investigation into the attack.
According to Kharraz, the east-based government recently arrested a group of collaborators inside Benghazi who were in touch with Tripoli-based militias. During interrogation, they confessed there were other cells of collaborators inside the LNA stronghold.
Haftar’s forces have been fighting rival militias since April in a bid to wrestle control of Tripoli from Libya’s internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA).
Fighting has killed more than 1,000 people since it erupted, according to the United Nations, including at least 106 civilians.
LNA, which holds the country’s east and much of the south, enjoys the support of Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Russia.
But it has faced stiff resistance from fighters aligned with the GNA, which is aided by Turkey and Qatar. — NNN-AGENCIES
