Libyan Parliamentary Leader Survives Attempt On His Life


An attempt to assassinate Mohamed al-Magarif, the president Libya’s General National Congress, failed on Thursday night, and he was not hurt in the attack.

Magariaf’s spokesman apparently addressed the Libyan assassination attempt today.

The incident occurred at the parliamentary leader’s home in Sabha, 500 miles south of Tripoli, an area where tribal violence is commonplace. According to the spokesman, gunman opened fire on Magariaf’s residence but “(he) was unharmed and escaped the attack but three of his guards were injured,” according to Reuters.

Reuters adds that “Magariaf was in Sabha for meetings with local officials and community leaders after Tripoli declared the region a closed military zone to try to curb rampant lawlessness.”

According to Libya TV, a second assassination attempt apparently occurred yesterday in Sabha:

“Magariaf told reporters that gunmen attacked the hotel he was residing at by heavy gun fire. An ongoing battle between Magariaf’s personal bodyguards and the gunmen lasted for three hours and left three of his guards wounded.”

Magariaf, formerly Libyan ambassador to India, is the leader of the Libya’s National Front Party and was elected president of the General National Congress in August 2012. He was a longtime foe of former Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and lived in the US in exile for many years before returning to Libya in 2011.

According to a profile of Magariaf by the BBC,

“He co-founded and served for two decades as the secretary-general for the National Front for the Salvation of Libya (NFSL), the opposition group made famous by its failed assassination attempt on Col Gaddafi in 1984.

“Mr. Magariaf himself has survived several assassination attempts.”

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