Gunmen kill Red Cross official in Libya, fire grenade at PM’s office

Gunmen in Libya shot dead a Swiss national working for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), fired a grenade at the prime minister’s office and tried to kill a renegade general yesterday.

Anarchy is spreading in the North African oil-producing country where there has been turmoil and political infighting since the 2011 uprising that ousted Muammar Gadafy. Many armed militias operate beyond state authority.

In the east outside Benghazi, ex-general Khalifa Haftar survived an assassination attempt. In Sirte, a central city, gunmen killed a Swiss ICRC official. And in the capital Tripoli, gunmen fired a rocket propelled grenade at the office of prime minister Ahmed Maiteeq.

“The Swiss head of a sub-delegation of the ICRC was shot dead by unknown gunmen while he was leaving a meeting in Sirte,” said Salah Uddin, spokesman for the ICRC.

Nobody was hurt when the grenade hit the same floor as Mr Maiteeq’s office, an aide said. Mr Maiteeq was elected last month in a chaotic vote that many lawmakers disputed. Outgoing premier Abdullah al-Thinni has refused to hand over power, saying he wants to wait for a legal ruling.

Hours before that attack, a suicide bomber blew up an SUV full of explosives at retired general Haftar’s base in Benghazi, said his spokesman, Mohamed al-Hejazi, and army officials. Four men were killed in the attack.

Gen Haftar said later: “There will be a strong response.” – (Reuters)