Assassination in Benghazi: Libyan Military Intelligence Chief Killed in Targeted Car Bomb Attack

BENGHAZI, LIBYA — Major General Fawzi al-Mansouri, head of the military intelligence department for eastern Libya’s forces, was assassinated on Monday, August 10, 2026, after an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated in his vehicle outside his home in Benghazi.

The high-profile attack took place in the eastern city's Hawari district, marking a severe breach of security in the strong-hold city controlled by General Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA).

Major General Fawzi al-Mansouri, Chief of LNA Military Intelligence, was targeted and killed in an assassination outside his residence in Benghazi, Libya. The attack was carried out using an improvised explosive device (IED) planted in his vehicle. Currently, no group has taken immediate responsibility for the killing, and the incident remains under active investigation by security forces.

Security officials confirmed that the IED had been attached underneath Mansouri’s vehicle and detonated as he entered the car on Monday evening. Mansouri was declared dead at the scene from the severe blast injuries.

Major General Fawzi al-Mansouri held pivotal command roles within eastern Libya’s military structure throughout his career. From August 2021 to May 2024, he served as the Commander of the Sabha Military Zone. In May 2024, he was appointed by Khalifa Haftar to serve as the Chief of the Military Intelligence Department, a position he held until his assassination in August 2026.

Forces affiliated with the LNA immediately cordoned off the neighborhood as forensic teams and intelligence officers gathered evidence. Security checkpoints across Benghazi were placed on high alert as authorities launched an extensive investigation into potential sleeper cells or rival armed factions.

"An extensive investigation has been launched to determine the network behind this targeted terror attack."— Libyan Security Official Statement

The assassination strikes at the heart of the LNA's security hierarchy, underscoring ongoing instability across Libya, where political authority remains split between rival administrations in Tripoli and Benghazi. No group has yet officially claimed responsibility for the killing.