Libyan minister wounded in Tripoli assassination attempt
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The Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) denounced the incident and said that Juma was "in stable condition" after "shots were fired at his car" by an unknown perpetrator.
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Libya's minister for cabinet affairs, Adel Juma during an address (Undated, AFP)
Libya's cabinet affairs minister Adel Juma was wounded in an attempted murder in the capital Tripoli on Wednesday, according to a statement from the Government of National Unity (GNU).
The Tripoli-based GNU denounced the incident and said that Juma was "in stable condition" after "shots were fired at his car" by an unknown perpetrator.
It stated that an inquiry has been launched "to track down the perpetrators" and that it "will not tolerate any attempts that threaten the security and stability of the state."
According to reports, Juma was shot in the leg.
Libya has remained divided since the 2014 civil war, which led to the emergence of two rival administrations competing for control in the east and west, following the NATO-backed uprising that ousted Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
In Tripoli, the Government of National Unity (GNU), led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah, was formed through a UN-backed process in 2021. However, the parliament no longer recognizes its legitimacy. Dbeibah has vowed not to cede power to a new government without national elections.
Libya now has two competing legislative bodies: the HoR, elected in 2014 with a four-year mandate to oversee the political transition, and the High Council of State in Tripoli, established as part of a 2015 political agreement and drawn from a parliament first elected in 2012.
The Tripoli-based Presidential Council, which came to power with the GNU, has been working on a reconciliation project, holding a "comprehensive conference" with the support of the UN and the African Union. However, it has struggled to unite all rival factions due to ongoing political divisions.
Regarded as one of Dbeibah's closest advisors, Juma has overseen coordination between Dbeibah's office and other ministries for the Tripoli-based administration since March 2021.
In a statement, the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said it "strongly condemns" the assassination attempt and urged for a "swift, full, and transparent investigation to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice".
According to the statement, there is "no justification" for using violence against public officials or other civilians, and these acts of violence "undermine stability and security in Tripoli and nationwide."
The attack is not the first attempt to target a government official. Last year in April, the home and office of Dbeibah's nephew and advisor, Ibrahim Dbeibah was targeted by an attack but no injuries or casualties were reported.
Fathi Bashagha, the Interior Minister of the then-Government of National Accord (GNA), also escaped an assassination attempt on a Tripoli highway in 2021.
