By Libya Herald reporter.
Malta, 13 January 2015:
There were no fewer than 231 recorded assassinations or assassination attempts in the eastern city of . . .[restrict]Benghazi in 2014, one independent source reports.
The figures were collated by Benghazi resident and active blogger Mutaz Gedallah of the site www.wakeupbenghazi.com.
Some of the most prominent victims were eleven activists, which included Twfik Ben Soud, Sami Al-Kwafi, Salwa Bughagies, and Muftah Bouzaid who Mutaz says were killed ‘’only because they stood up against extremists’’.
But without doubt the military and police force of Benghazi bore the brunt of the assassination attempts and assassinations in 2014.
- Most assassinations or attempts were carried out on the holy day of Friday
- 70% of those targeted were either army or police personnel
- 17% of those targeted were members of the Special Forces (Saiqa)
- 90% of the assassination methods used were hit and run
- 45 were killed in the month of September alone – the highest recorded month – due to direct attack on Special Forces HQ
- 14% of those targeted were civilians
- 6% were religious figures
- 5% were activists
- There were an average of 19 assassinations or attempts per month throughout 2014
- Since the expansion of the Karama/Saiqa military operations in Benghazi, the totals have fallen dramatically to a total of only 3 in November and December.
To put these into perspective, these numbers for assassinations and assassination attempts specifically for Benghazi contrast with general death figures totalling 1,442 for the city given by NGO Libya Body Count.
This figure is nearly three times the total deaths of 519 for the larger city of Tripoli. [/restrict]
