Another military assassination in Benghazi

By Maha Ellawati.

Benghazi, 16 October:

Another military official has been assassinated in Benghazi. Colonel Adel Baqramawi was killed around 2 am this morning, Tuesday, when a bomb was thrown at his Hyundai car from a pickup truck.

Details are still emerging but it is reported that the device was a “gelatina”, a homemade bomb usually used for fishing but often now used by terrorists.

Baqramawi was rushed to hospital where his legs had to be amputated but he died shortly afterwards of his wounds.

It is alleged that he worked for Qaddafi’s External Security Agency, specifically in the “Liquidation Unit” carrying out assassinations outside Libya.

He is the 15th military official to be murdered in the city this year. Just over a month ago, an airforce colonel, Badr Khamis Al-Obedi, was assassinated in a drive-by shooting as he left Benghazi’s Saida Aisha mosque after prayers.

There have been numerous other assassination attempts.  Three days ago, a bomb, also reported as a “gelatina”, exploded under the car of Benghazi’s police chief, Colonel Mohamed Ben Haleem, which was parked outside his home. He was inside the house at the time.

There have also been numerous attacks on security buildings in the city.  A fortnight ago, as many as six personnel were reported to have been injured in three incidents, two in an attack on Gar Younis police station and four in two separate attacks near the children’s hospital. Again, in the police station attack, a homemade bomb was thrown from a passing vehicle.

It is widely rumoured in Benghazi that there is a list to assassinate military officials, especially those who worked for the former regime. It is claimed that local militant Islamists are responsible.

They have also been accused of the killing of US ambassador Chris Stevens and three other US diplomatic personnel last month.