Libyan State Minister survives assassination attempt in Tripoli

A Libyan State minister narrowly survived an assassination attempt when gunmen opened fire on his vehicle in the capital, Tripoli, on Wednesday, according to a government statement.

The Government of National Unity (GNU), based in Tripoli, strongly condemned the attack, in which an unidentified group reportedly targeted the vehicle of Adel Juma, the State minister for Cabinet affairs, while he was travelling on a highway. The GNU expressed, in a statement, its concerns about the brazen act of violence, which could have had far-reaching consequences.

The statement, shared on an official platform, confirmed that Juma’s health was stable following the attack. It also revealed that security authorities had launched an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and identify those responsible. The GNU, led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah, was established through a U.N.-backed process in 2021. Libya, an oil-rich country, has been embroiled in political instability and frequent outbreaks of conflict since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in a NATO-backed uprising in 2011.