Benghazi, 13 October:
Benghazi’s police chief escaped an assassination attempt by unknown assailants today, Saturday, when a homemade bomb was detonated under his car.
Colonel Mohamed Ben Haleem was in his home at the time of the blast, which resulted in no injuries, according to police spokesman Majed Al-Obedidi.
The attack occurred at around 10am this morning in the Hadaeq area of the city.
As yet, no explanation has been given as to why the Ben Haleem was targeted nor any indication given as to the identity of his attackers.
As with many senior security figures, however, Ben Haleem hitherto served under Qaddafi as a police colonel before taking up his post under the new government.
Benghazi has been the scene of a string of high-profile assassinations on former Qaddafi officers in recent months, with 14 reckoned killed so far this year and many more wounded.
On 10 September, a commander at the air defence base in Benghazi was gunned down as he left the Saida Aisha mosque following Friday prayers. Obeidi was shot several times in the chest and head from a semi-automatic rifle in a “drive-by” attack. He was immediately taken to the intensive care unit at Hawari hospital but died a few hours later.
On 10 August, Brigadier-General Mohammed Al-Fitouri was also gunned down as he left afternoon prayers in Benghazi. Fitouri was in charge of weapons storage in the region.
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