BENGHAZI, Libya — The head of the Libyan rebels’ armed forces and two of his aides were killed by gunmen Thursday, the head of the rebel leadership said.
The death of Abdel-Fattah Younis was announced at a news conference in the de facto rebel capital, Benghazi, by the head of the rebels’ National Transitional Council, Mustafa Abdul-Jalil. He told reporters that rebel security had arrested the head of the group behind the killing.
Rebel security had arrested Younis and two of his aides early Thursday from their operations room near the rebels’ eastern front. Security officials said at the time that Younis was to be questioned about suspicions his family still had ties to Moammar Gadhafi’s regime.
Younis was Gadhafi’s interior minister before defecting to the rebels early in the uprising, which began in February.
Abdul-Jalil said that Younis had been summoned for questioning regarding “a military matter.” He said Younis and his two aides were shot before they arrived for questioning.
