On 25 February, Colonel Mustafa al-Har, director of the Counter-Terrorism and Subversive Activities Office in Libya’s central region (based in Misrata), was attacked by a group of armed assailants while driving in his car. His car was stopped by gunshots. The Colonel was dragged out of his car, severely beaten and humiliated. He was rushed to a hospital nearby in a critical condition.
The assailants were former members of the Benghazi Revolutionary Shura Council, of the Derna Mujaheddin Shura Council and of the Ajdabiya Revolutionary Shura Council. They reportedly belong to brigades close to Ministry of Defence Undersecretary for Regions and Military Affairs Abdussalam Zoubi.
On 26 February, Sheikh Salem Karwad, a prominent elder from Misrata, reported that al-Har is in a stable condition and recovering at a local hospital following the recent assault. Karwad called on the Attorney General to launch a full investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice, warning that such attacks pose a significant threat to the city’s civil peace and stability. Furthermore, he urged the public to support state security agencies and cautioned against rhetoric calling for the dissolution of the Counter-Terrorism and Subversive Activities Force. Karwad characterized these calls as politically motivated attempts by specific Islamist factions to weaken national security institutions.
An unsigned statement – reportedly from Misrata residents with social, political, and military backgrounds – formally distanced itself from 40 individuals accused of ‘fueling discord and division’ within the city. This includes MoD Undersecretary Zoubi and Ali al-Sallabi, Secretary-General of the International Union of Muslim Scholars (and recently appointed as National Reconciliation Advisor by the PC). The declaration asserts that these ‘corrupt groups’ only represent themselves and do not reflect the city’s historical commitment to state-building. The residents issued a stern warning, vowing a ‘firm and harsh response’ to anyone who undermines civil peace or local security. Furthermore, they demanded the immediate disclosure and prosecution of those responsible for the attack on al-Har to prevent further internal strife.
On 1 March, Libyan political analyst Mohamed Qashout warned that Misrata is entering a ‘very dangerous’ downward spiral due to the influence of extremist councils that fled from eastern cities like Benghazi and Derna. He argued that by providing these elements with ‘neighborly protection,’ Misrata has allowed itself to be ‘abducted’ by ‘time bombs’ that will eventually explode within the city itself. According to Qashout, the recent assault on the General Intelligence Service headquarters has exposed the true intentions of these extremists, a development he claims has been met with a concerning silence from local residents and security agencies.
On 2 March, leaders, elders, and notables from Misrata issued a formal statement reaffirming their unwavering support for counter-terrorism efforts against extremist groups like ISIS, while categorically rejecting any tribal interference in public governance. The statement explicitly denounced the Ministry of Defense’s use of unauthorized force to seize security sites and called on the Presidential Council to launch urgent investigations into widespread state corruption involving oversight bodies and the CBL. Emphasizing the need for civil peace, the leaders renounced the use of weapons in internal disputes and demanded comprehensive legal accountability for all officials to safeguard national resources.