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By Libya Herald staff.
Benghazi, 27 September 2014:
Six civilian and soldiers were murdered in Benghazi yesterday, one week on from . . .[restrict]“Black Friday” in which 10 were killed and thirteen targeted in an unprecedented day of violence.
The bloodletting marks another day of what appears to be a city-wide campaign to instil fear in Benghazi residents, orchestrated by extremists. The killing has continued with impunity throughout the week with a dozen killed in the intervening days.
Bomb disposal expert Saleh Taher Al-Mismari was shot and killed while travelling on the city’s highway. A friend with him has not been identified survived the attack and drove Mismari to Benghazi Medical Centre (BMC). The 32-year-old Mismari was pronounced dead on arrival.
Saiqa Special Forces member Othman Shagour died outside Jalaa Hospital after he was shot several times by unknown gunmen. Despite being close to the hospital, medical workers were unable to resuscitate him and he died there. His body was later transferred to Benghazi Medical Centre (BMC).
Army colonel Moutaz Shehumi was shot dead by unknown gunmen in Hay Salem. Throughout Benghazi military personnel, active or retired, have been targeted by armed groups for well over a year.
Two civilians, travelling together in Hay Salem, were shot and killed by gunmen. Identified as Adel Ferjani and Mohamed Ghoneim the motive for their slaying, as has been the case with the murder of many relatively unknown civilians in recent days, remains unknown.
Saiti Nasser, also a civilian, was gunned down in front of his family home.
Raja Selim died, apparently by accident, when a rocket struck her car in Benghazi’s Laithi district. Selim’s husband who was driving with her survived the blast. Both were taken to (BMC),
The Head of Saiqa Special Forces Investigations Unit, Fadel Al-Hassi said the increase in assassinations had been mirrored by an increased level of theft and kidnappings. He claimed this was a symptom of a successful campaign against extremists in the city. He explained that Operation Dignity was sapping the resources of Ansar Al-Sharia and its allies forcing them to find money through other means.
Operation Dignity’s airplanes have bombed a number of ships attempting to enter Benghazi port. Hassi claimed that Dignity was more effectively targeting trucks and cars used to transport weapons and munitions by land.
Nevertheless the almost constant violence in Butani and on the approach to Benina Airport has continued unabated. The deadly stalemate is being blamed for much of the current instability in Benghazi.
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