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Al-Mahdi Al-Barghathi

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Al Mahdi Al Barghathi
المهدي البرغثي
Minister of Defense
In office
5 January 2016 – 29 July 2018
suspended: 1 May 2017 – 28 July 2018
Prime MinisterFayez al-Sarraj
Preceded byAbdullah al-Thani (General National Congress)
Succeeded byFayez al-Sarraj
Personal details
Bornc. 1968
Benghazi, Libya
DiedOctober 2023(2023-10-00) (aged 54–55)
Benghazi, Libya
Military service
Allegiance Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
 Libya (House of Representatives)
 Libya (GNA)
Branch/serviceLibyan National Army (former)
Libyan Ground Forces
RankColonel
Commands204 Tank Brigade
Libyan National Army
Battles/warsLibyan Civil War

Second Libyan Civil War

Al Mahdi Ibrahim Abdulhamid Al Barghathi was an important figure in the Awakir tribe and army commander based in Benghazi who was likely executed in October 2023. [1] Al Barghathi was an army commander of the Libyan National Army the commander of the 204th Tank Battalion of the , serving under General Khalifa Haftar in the Libyan Civil War. Al Barghathi became disillusioned with Haftar's policies, and in 2016 became the Minister of Defense of the opposing Libyan Government of National Accord, serving in that function until 2018. [2][3] Since 2016, Al Barghathi and allies have been targeted for assassination by Haftar, and on 6 October 2023, Al Barghathi was abducted in Benghazi, along with close supporters, family, and other friends. [4] [5] On 30 October 2023 Al Barghathi was reported to have died while in detention. [6]

Biography

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Al Barghathi was born in Benghazi and fought in the Libyan Civil War against the forces of Muammar Qaddafi, being among the first officers to join the rebels. In 2014 he joined General Khalifa Haftar's Operation Dignity against the Islamists in the General National Congress and commanded the 204 Tank Battalion. He reportedly became a popular officer in the Libyan armed forces for personally fighting on the front line with the troops.[7]

Al Barghathi's appointment as the minister of defense of the Government of National Accord in January 2016, formed with international support to reunify Libya, caused disagreements with Field Marshal Haftar. The general believed he was not fit for the role and opposed his appointment. Also, Al Barghathi was an ally of Ibrahim Jadhran, leader of the Petroleum Facilities Guards and rival of Haftar. Al Barghathi stated that he remained loyal to the army as an institution and was determined to run it effectively.[7] The Libyan Air Force chief of staff under Haftar, Saqr Geroushi, said that al Barghathi should be arrested for becoming the defense minister in the GNA without the commander-in-chief's permission.[8]

It was reported that he personally led Libyan unity government forces during the offensive to retake the city of Sirte from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.[9]

In March 2017, after Haftar's LNA seized control of the oil facilities in eastern Libya, Al Barghathi was accused of supporting the Benghazi Defense Brigades that fought against the LNA. However, he denied this allegation.[10]

In May 2017, GNA Prime Minister Fayez Seraj announced that Al Barghathi was suspended as defense minister after being suspected of involving in the Brak Al-Shati massacre.[11]

By December 2017 it appeared that he was no longer suspended and resumed his role as defense minister.[12] Early that month, he visited Libyan soldiers receiving medical treatment in neighboring Tunisia.[13]

In July 2018 he was removed from the office after disagreements with Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj.[14]

Since 2018, Benghazi groups lobbied for Al Barghathi to be given amnesty and be allowed to return home. Eventually permission was given from Haftar, and on October 6 2023, he returned to his family home. The day began with celebration, as Al Barghathi a prominent figure within his community, hadn't been home since 2016. At 5 pm, internet and communications were cut off in Benghazi, followed by members of the Tariq Ben Zeyad Brigade storming the house, and kidnapping Al Bargathi as well as 7 close allies and other friends and family members. Besides the 7 other men, all women and children were eventually released. 60 to 70 people are also reported to have died during the kidnapping. [15] [16] On 30 October 2023, it was announced by the municipality of Benghazi Facebook account that Al Barghathi had died of a stroke during his detention, however it is suspected that he was executed earlier. [17]

References

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  1. ^ [1] La Croix (newspaper). 16 November 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  2. ^ Fitzgerald, Mary. A quick guide to Libya's main players. European Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  3. ^ Saleh, Heba. Libyan factions announce national unity government. Financial Times. 19 January 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  4. ^ Tidball-Binz, Morris. Gillet, Matthew. Baldé Aua. Mandates of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances UA OTH (2.2024). Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. 31 January 2024. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  5. ^ Lacher, Wolfram. Social Cleavages and Armed Group Consolidation: The Case of Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan Arab Armed Forces. Taylor & Francis. 20 Dec 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  6. ^ Harchaoui, Jalel. [2] Twitter. 30 October 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  7. ^ a b Ayyub, Saber.Opposing reactions to appointment of unity government’s defence minister Archived August 18, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. Libya Herald. Published 21 January 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  8. ^ Al-Jroushi: Sirraj would be branded terrorist if he refuses Haftar, threatens to arrest Al Barghathi. The Libya Observer. Published 17 April 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  9. ^ Norbrook, Nicholas. Libyan army gains ground against IS in Sirte. The African Report. Published 22 June 2016. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
  10. ^ East Libya Forces Prepare to Retake Key Oil Ports. Naharnet. Published 6 March 2017. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  11. ^ "Death toll rises in southern Libya attack, defence minister suspended". Economic Times. 20 May 2017. Archived from the original on 2017-05-25.
  12. ^ Administrative Control Authority clears Defence Minister Al Barghathi of wrong doing. Libya Observer. Published 26 July 2018.
  13. ^ GNA defense ministry covers treatment expenses of the wounded in Benghazi war. Libyan Express. Published 2 December 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  14. ^ Libyan Presidential Council gives its Defense Minister the sack Archived 2019-04-22 at the Wayback Machine. Libya Observer. Published 29 July 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  15. ^ [3] La Croix (newspaper). 16 November 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  16. ^ Tidball-Binz, Morris. Gillet, Matthew. Baldé Aua. Mandates of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances UA OTH (2.2024). Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. 31 January 2024. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  17. ^ Harchaoui, Jalel. [4] Twitter. 30 October 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
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