By Sami Zaptia.
London , 8 October 2018:
The spokesperson for the Khalifa Hafter-led Libyan National Army (LNA), Ahmed Mesmari, has announced the capture of what he referred to as an Egyptian terrorist. Media reports have referred to him as a leading IS/Al-Qaeda commander.
Hisham Al-Ashmawi was captured today at dawn as part of a security operation in the eastern city of Derna.
Al-Ashmawi is reported to be a former Egyptian special forces officer who is wanted by Egypt for suspected Islamist militant activities there. He is also wanted for militant activity in Libya.
Mesmari also reported that during the capture of Al-Ashmawi the wife and daughter of another “terrorist”, Mohamed Rifai, were also captured.
The LNA are still fighting jihadists in Derna despite declaring that they were in control of the city in June.
