On 19 February in the late evening, two young men were killed in a hail of bullets when an armed group opened fire on a car on Refinery Road in Zawiyya. During the shooting, the car caught fire. One of those killed, Muhammad Qarimida, was the nephew of the militia leader Muhammed Bahroun aka al-Far. It was immediately rumoured that the gunmen belong to the militia of Muhammad Kashlaf aka al-Qasseb.
On 20 February after midnight, al-Far’s militias skirmished with al-Qasseb’s armed fighters in the vicinity of the refinery and in several other locations in Zawiyya.
The Libyan National Institution for Human Rights announced that its fact‑finding and documentation unit had monitored the killing of two citizens, Sakhr al‑Aswad and Muhammed Qarimeeda, on the evening of 19 February. It said the two men were shot dead while driving on a public road near the refinery area of Zawiyya. According to the institution’s initial information, there are indications that al-Qasseb may be involved. The announcement emphasized that he is already listed under UN Security Council sanctions for human trafficking and migrant smuggling and is associated with an ‘armed group’ based at the Zawiyya refinery.
The institution described the incident as part of a broader pattern of serious human‑rights violations in the city. It warned that the persistence of such crimes undermines the rule of law, entrenches impunity, threatens social stability, and deepens fear among residents. It called on the Ministry of Interior, the Zawiyya Security Directorate, and the Attorney General’s Office to launch a full and transparent investigation, gather evidence, identify those responsible, and bring the perpetrators to justice without delay. Finally, it urged the Government of National Unity (GNU) to honor its legal commitments to international mechanisms, sever any ties with individuals under international sanctions, and ensure they are held accountable before national courts. The institution called these steps essential for strengthening human rights, the rule of law, and justice in Libya.
In the evening of 20 February, the HQ of Counter Security Threats Agency (not its Zawiyya branch) released a statement mourning the death of 2nd Lieutenant Sakhr al-Aswad, who was assigned to the agency’s special operations office, and his companion, Muhammed Qarimeeda, following a ‘treacherous criminal attack’ in which they were shot at while driving their vehicle on the public road in the refinery area of Zawiyya on 19 February. The statement emphasized that the attack occurred during ‘the holy month of Ramadan, a month in which blood is protected and sanctities are revered.’ The Agency condemned the murder in the strongest terms and affirmed that it will not show any leniency when pursuing the perpetrators. The Agency pledged to continue its security and intelligence efforts to track down these criminal gangs, apprehend the perpetrators, and bring them to justice in accordance with the law.