Libya’s Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibeh has called for an urgent inquiry into the killing of Brigadier General Ali Ramadan Al-Rayani, who was fatally shot on Sunday by unidentified gunmen, instructing the military prosecutor to oversee the investigation.
Al-Rayani was fatally shot early on April 27 after unidentified gunmen stormed his residence in the Khallet Al-Furjan district, south of Tripoli, shortly after he returned from dawn prayers, the Libya Observer reported.
Libya’s Al-Wasat news outlet cited witnesses as saying that the general exchanged gunfire with the assailants, killing two and wounding another, before he himself was struck by a fatal shot to the chest. Other local media reports claim that the General killed three of his attackers before he died. The Libyan government has not issued any detailed statement other than to condemn the attack and promise an investigation.
Libya’s interim prime minister, Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, described Al-Rayani as a “martyr” who died defending his home and family. He promised a thorough investigation aimed at uncovering the circumstances surrounding the assault and holding those responsible to account.
Various rumors and alleged reports began surfacing on social media immediately following the attack, with some unverified reports suggesting that the Tripoli Judicial Police (JP) were involved in the assassination. The rumors prompted the JP to quickly release a statement, saying the group “categorically denies what was circulated regarding an attack by an armed group on a citizen’s home, falsely claiming to be members of the JP”.
The JP called on all media outlets and social media users to “examine the accuracy and credibility of these reports and not to be drawn into rumors,” stressing that it “reserves its legal right to take the necessary measures against those who spread such false news.”
The incident underscores just how fragile post-war Libya remains, with two powerful clans rivaling for power behind the scenes. Observers are now cautioning that the country is at risk of a resurgence of civil war just as investors are preparing to pour more money into new oil and gas exploration.
While it remains unclear which side of the clan rivalry the assassinated general falls, the rumors and denials indicate that there is an attempt here to create a destabilizing situation that coincides with discussions in Washington about U.S. investment opportunities in Libya, which included a Libyan delegation led by Oil and Gas Minister Khalifa Abdul-Sadiq.
By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com
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