Reports emerge of Magarief assassination attempt in Sebha

http://www.libyaherald.com/2013/01/06/reports-emerge-of-magarief-assassination-attempt-in-sebha/ By Tom Little. Head of the GNC Mohamed Magarief, centre, at a conference in Tripoli last week (Photo: Tom Little) Tripoli, 6 January: Reports are emerging that the head of the General National Congress (GNC) Mohamed Magarief survived an attempt on his life while he was on a state visit to the southern town of Sebha. Several different accounts of the attack have emerged, some have said that unknown gunmen opened fire on the Fezzan Hotel in Sebha, where Magarief and the visiting GNC delegation were staying, while others have said that his convoy was fired on as it drove through the streets of the town. Both accounts say that members of Magarief’s security detail were wounded in the incident. It is not thought that Magarief was injured in the attack, which is said to have taken place on Friday. Magarief had been on a visit to Sebha to meet with local council members and officials about the security situation in the town after it was declared a closed military zone on 16 December. In the days leading up to Magarief’s visit, members of the Awlad Suleiman and Qadhadhfa tribes had clashed in the town, leaving several from both sides dead