Libya’s minister for cabinet affairs, Adel Juma, was wounded in an attempted assassination in the capital Tripoli on Wednesday, the Government of National Unity said in a statement.
The UN-recognised GNU, which is based in Tripoli, condemned the attack and said Juma was “in stable condition” after “shots were fired at his car” by an unknown assailant.
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It said an investigation was opened “to track down the perpetrators”, adding that it “will not tolerate any attempts that threaten the security and stability of the state”.
Reports said Juma was shot in the leg.
Libya has struggled to recover from years of conflict after the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that overthrew longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi.
It remains split between the GNU of Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah in the west and a rival authority backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar in the east.
Juma has served in the role overseeing coordination between Dbeibah’s office and other ministries for the Tripoli-based government since March 2021.
He is considered one of Dbeibah’s closest advisors.
The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said in a statement it “strongly condemns” the assassination attempt and called for a “swift, full and transparent investigation to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice”.
“There is no justification for the use of violence against public officials or any other civilians,” it said. “Such acts of violence undermine stability and security in Tripoli and nationwide.”
In April last year, an attack targeted the home and office of Dbeibah’s nephew and advisor, Ibrahim Dbeibah, in the Libyan capital but left no casualties.
And in 2021, the interior minister of the then Government of National Accord (GNA), Fathi Bashagha, also survived an assassination attempt on a Tripoli highway.
AFP