Top of the Agenda: Libyan Rebel Chief Killed from the CFR

Top of the Agenda: Libyan Rebel Chief Killed

The head military commander of the Libyan rebel movement, Gen. Abdul Fattah Younes, was assassinated Thursday, triggering violence and fueling fears (NYT) that a tribal feud could erupt and undermine efforts by the rebels to overthrow embattled Libyan leader Muammar al-Qaddafi. A former interior minister for Qaddafi, Younes defected (BBC) and joined the rebel uprising in February, though rumors have circulated that he maintains ties with Qaddafi.

Younes was killed before he could appear before a judicial inquiry over alleged ties (al-Jazeera) to the Qaddafi regime. Mustafa Abdul Jalil, head of the rebel National Transitional Council (NTC), said Younes had been summoned over a "military matter." He added that rebel security had arrested the head of the group behind the murders, but had not located the bodies.

The NTC could face internal strains at a time when the United States and other Western nations have recognized the council as the legitimate governing authority of Libya. Younes' death came as rebel forces in the Western mountains (WashPost) -- supported by NATO intelligence -- moved closer to descending on the capital of Tripoli.

Analysis:

The Younes assassination is bad news for Western governments that have just taken the step of recognizing the rebel Transitional National Council (TNC) as the sole legitimate representative of the Libyan people, says the Economist.

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