On 1 September, unidentified gunmen assassinated Abdurrahman Milad, alias al-Bija, the head of Libya’s coast guard and naval academy, as well as notorious Zawiyyan people smuggler. His car, a white Toyota Land Cruiser, was riddled with bullets as he left the academy and drove through Janzour (west of Tripoli). Al-Bija was pronounced dead upon arrival at Zawiyya Hospital.
After al-Bija’s assassination, the situation in Zawiyya was temporarily very tense. The Coastal Road was closed by military vehicles equipped with heavy weapons.
Presidential Council Deputy Abdullah al-Lafi praised al-Bija and stated that his killers will not escape punishment. High State Council (HSC) head Khalid al-Mishri, who is from Zawiyya, praised al-Bija’s role in ending disputes and calming the situation in Zawiyya as well as for his efforts to resume work at the Naval Academy and graduate its first batch after a 14-year hiatus. He called on the Attorney General and the concerned authorities to reveal those involved in the incident and bring them to justice.
Muammar al-Dhawi, commander of the 55th (Wershefana) Brigade, warned of the consequences of keeping silent about the crime of killing al-Bija. He demanded that those behind it be exposed, regardless of their status, affiliation and the countries behind them. He called on the military prosecutor, the interior ministry and the public prosecutor to expose the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
On 2 September, in the presence of al-Lafi and al-Mishri a memorial service for al-Bija was held at the Naval Academy in Janzour.
Prime Minister Abdul Hameed Dabaiba has ordered Minister of Interior Emad Trabelsi to launch immediately an investigation into the killing of al-Bija.