BENGHAZI — The head of Muammar Gaddafi's Revolutionary Committees in Derna, Khaled Assafi Adli, was shot dead in the late hours of Tuesday. According to sources, he had been in hiding ever since the revolution began in the town in February last year. The assassination has been condemned by the Justice and Construction Party Congressman for Derna and its surrounding area, Mansour Al-Hassadi. In September, a member of the Gaddafi regime's security services survived after being shot by unknown assailants in the town. Local security sources, however, are suggesting that this latest killing was carried out by drug dealers. It is known that such dealers have been active in the town. They have been linked to earlier killings. In March, the town's highly respected counter-narcotics chief was assassinated by suspected drug dealers. However, this latest slaying has all the hallmarks of the 15 revenge assassinations of previous regime figures that have occurred in Benghazi — and there is no evidence of drug cartels being involved in them. Tuesday saw two other violent incidents in Derna. A pick-up truck belonging to the field commander of the Abu-Salim Battalion, Anis Kharam, blew up just after he returned home and got out of the vehicle. The battalion is viewed as militant Islamist. It was not the first time that a vehicle belonging to an Abu-Salim Battalion commander had been blown up in the town. Also assailants attacked a police traffic patrol at Derna's university square. Three policemen were injured. They have been named as Tawfiq Adam Saeid, Hamza Saad Mohamed and Sameh Mohamed Mustafa. The latter is said to have been attacked with a machete and needed 12 stitches. In this case, however, the police report that they arrested the perpetrators although they have not named them. It is not known if any of the incidents are connected. — Libya Herald
