By Maha Ellawati.
Benghazi, 15 November 2015:
One of the leading mujahideen commanders in Derna, Colonel Mohamed Bughafir, was killed this afternoon in . . .[restrict]fighting in Fataieh district south east of the town, according to reports. The area, still held by Islamic State (IS), was hit by US air strike yesterday, with 10 IS militants killed.
The exact circumstances of Bughafir’s death have not been revealed apart from the fact that he was leading in an operation codenamed Shuhada Al-Guba launched today against IS. Also reported killed in the fight was another mujahideen commander, Colonel Salah Sahad – again a former army officer.
From Beida, he had been head of its Ali Hassan Al-Jabber Brigade and was active last year in Ajdabiya against forces loyal to Ibrahim Jadhran when the latter was blockading the oil terminals. But he was forced to withdraw in a deal with Jedhran and local elders. He was then sidelined by the Libyan National Army (LNA) – Air Force chief Major-General Adam Saqr Geroushi is reported to have said that Bughafir could not be trusted. This year he went to Derna and joined the mujahideen against IS, launching a new unit named the Second Infantry Brigade.
The Derna mujahideen do not follow LNA orders and are regarded by it with suspicion although there have been reports of behind-the-scenes cooperation between the two. [/restrict]
