Abdul Fatah Younis: Difference between revisions
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On 24 July, he was reported by Al Bawaba media to have been killed under "mysterious circumstances" on the first day of the [[Fourth Battle of Brega]]. Al Bawaba media did not specify where they got such information.<ref>[http://www.albawaba.com/main-headlines/report-head-rebel-forces-army-libya-killed-384482 Report: Head of rebel forces army in Libya killed]</ref> He denied this report in a radio interview the next day.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/top-libyan-rebel-commander-shot-dead-2328028.html|accessdate=2011-07-29|title=Top Libyan rebel commander shot dead - Africa, World - The Independent|date=2011-07-29|quote=There had been reports last Sunday that Gen Younes had died in fighting around Brega. He gave a radio interview the following day to announce he was alive and well and declare that the rebels would achieve victory before the impending start of Ramadan.}}</ref> |
On 24 July, he was reported by Al Bawaba media to have been killed under "mysterious circumstances" on the first day of the [[Fourth Battle of Brega]]. Al Bawaba media did not specify where they got such information.<ref>[http://www.albawaba.com/main-headlines/report-head-rebel-forces-army-libya-killed-384482 Report: Head of rebel forces army in Libya killed]</ref> He denied this report in a radio interview the next day.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/top-libyan-rebel-commander-shot-dead-2328028.html|accessdate=2011-07-29|title=Top Libyan rebel commander shot dead - Africa, World - The Independent|date=2011-07-29|quote=There had been reports last Sunday that Gen Younes had died in fighting around Brega. He gave a radio interview the following day to announce he was alive and well and declare that the rebels would achieve victory before the impending start of Ramadan.}}</ref> |
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On 28 July, Younis was arrested by the rebel forces to face questioning in Benghazi, the de-facto capital of Libya under the NTC.<ref>http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/07/2011728144624965299.html</ref> |
On 28 July, Younis was arrested by the rebel forces to face questioning by suspected CIA contractors in Benghazi, the de-facto capital of Libya under the NTC.<ref>http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/07/2011728144624965299.html</ref> |
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Later on in the day Younis was killed under unclear circumstances.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14336122|title=Libyan rebel commander Abdel Fattah Younes killed|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC |date=28 July 2011|accessdate=28 July 2011}}</ref><ref>[http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/07/2011728202129941725.html Libya opposition's senior leader dead ]</ref> NTC head Mustafa Abdul-Jalil said Younis was killed by pro-Gaddafi assailants, and the head of the group responsible had been arrested. He said Younis was summoned for questioning about military operations, but never made it to the meeting.<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14336122</ref> The Libyan government gave another version of the event, saying that Younis had been killed by the rebels because they thought he was a double agent.<ref>http://news.sky.com/home/article/16039491</ref> |
Later on in the day Younis was killed under unclear circumstances.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14336122|title=Libyan rebel commander Abdel Fattah Younes killed|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC |date=28 July 2011|accessdate=28 July 2011}}</ref><ref>[http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/07/2011728202129941725.html Libya opposition's senior leader dead ]</ref> NTC head Mustafa Abdul-Jalil said Younis was killed by pro-Gaddafi assailants, and the head of the group responsible had been arrested. He said Younis was summoned for questioning about military operations, but never made it to the meeting.<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14336122</ref> The Libyan government gave another version of the event, saying that Younis had been killed by the rebels because they thought he was a double agent.<ref>http://news.sky.com/home/article/16039491</ref> |
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Revision as of 20:49, 29 July 2011
 | This article is currently being heavily edited because its subject has recently died. Information about their death and related events may change significantly and initial news reports may be unreliable. The most recent updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. |
Abdul Fatah Younis عبد الفتاح يونس | |
|---|---|
| File:2011 Abdul Fatah Younis.jpg Abdul Fatah Younis, as the head of the Free Libyan Army's General Staff | |
| Born | 1944 Jebel Akhdar, Libya |
| Died | 28 July 2011 (aged 66–67) Benghazi, Libya |
| Allegiance |  Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (until 2011 Libyan civil war) Libyan National Transitional Council (2011) |
| Service/ | National Liberation Army |
| Rank | Major General |
| Battles/wars | 2011 Libyan Civil War Battle of Ra's Lanuf Battle of Brega Battle of Bin Jawad Second Battle of Brega Battle of Ajdabiya Second Battle of Benghazi Late March 2011 Libyan rebel offensive Third Battle of Brega Battle of Brega-Ajdabiya road Fourth Battle of Brega |
Abdul Fatah Younis (Arabic: عبد الفتاح يونس, 1944 – 28 July 2011) was a senior military officer in Libya.[1] He held the rank of Major General[2] and the post of Minister of Interior, but resigned on 22 February 2011 to defect to the rebel side in what was to become the 2011 Libyan civil war.[3] He was considered a key supporter of Muammar al-Gaddafi[4] or even No. 2 in the Libyan government.[5]
In resigning, he urged that the Libyan army should "join the people and respond to their legitimate demands".[3] In an interview with John Simpson on 25 February, he said he believed Gaddafi would fight to the death, or commit suicide.[6]
He was previously minister for public security, and attended a key meeting with the British ambassador to Egypt in 1992 where he apologised for Libya's involvement in the killing of Yvonne Fletcher, and offered to extradite her killers; he also admitted Libyan support of the IRA and offered compensation for their victims.[7]
He had arrived in Benghazi commanding a special forces unit whose mission was to help relieve the beseiged Katiba compound, which had sheltered the remaining loyalist forces in the city since 18 February, and which was undergoing almost continuous attack. He claimed to have ordered his soldiers not to shoot at protesters, and negotiated an arrangement whereby the loyalists were permitted to retreat from the building and the city.[8]
Following confirmation that Younis had indeed defected to the side of the rebels, he was declared commander-in-chief of its armed forces. In March, a military spokesperson announced that Khalifa Haftar had replaced Younis as commander of the military; however, the National Transitional Council denied this.[9] By April, Younis held the role of commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, with Omar al Hareri serving as Younis's Chief of Staff, while Haftar took the third most senior position as the commander of ground forces with the rank of lieutenant general.[10][11]
Death
On 24 July, he was reported by Al Bawaba media to have been killed under "mysterious circumstances" on the first day of the Fourth Battle of Brega. Al Bawaba media did not specify where they got such information.[12] He denied this report in a radio interview the next day.[13]
On 28 July, Younis was arrested by the rebel forces to face questioning by suspected CIA contractors in Benghazi, the de-facto capital of Libya under the NTC.[14]
Later on in the day Younis was killed under unclear circumstances.[15][16] NTC head Mustafa Abdul-Jalil said Younis was killed by pro-Gaddafi assailants, and the head of the group responsible had been arrested. He said Younis was summoned for questioning about military operations, but never made it to the meeting.[17] The Libyan government gave another version of the event, saying that Younis had been killed by the rebels because they thought he was a double agent.[18]
A member of rebel special force and close to Younis said that he was killed by another group of rebels known as the February 17 Martyrs Brigade [19]
References
- ^ "Libya In Crisis: What's Next? « Eurasia Review". 2011-02-24. Retrieved 2011-02-24.
- ^ http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/top-libyan-rebel-commander-shot-dead-2328028.html
- ^ a b "Nations' Feedback on Libyan Uprising". 2011-02-24. Retrieved 2011-02-24.
- ^ "PressTV - 'ME fights battle of true independence'". 2011-02-24. Retrieved 2011-02-24.
- ^ "Live Blog - Libya Feb 22". 2011-02-24. Retrieved 2011-02-24.
{{cite web}}: Text "Al Jazeera Blogs" ignored (help) - ^ "BBC News - Libya and Arab unrest". Retrieved 2011-02-25.
- ^ Boffey, Daniel (08/11/2009). "Gaddafi offered to hand over WPC's killers 17 years ago". Mail on Sunday. Retrieved 25 February 2011.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Al Jazeera live blog at [1]
- ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/03/libya-rebel-leadership-split
- ^ "The colonel feels the squeeze". The economist. 19 May 2011. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
- ^ "The task of forming a more effective anti-Gaddafi army". BBC. 15 April 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
- ^ Report: Head of rebel forces army in Libya killed
- ^ "Top Libyan rebel commander shot dead - Africa, World - The Independent". 2011-07-29. Retrieved 2011-07-29.
There had been reports last Sunday that Gen Younes had died in fighting around Brega. He gave a radio interview the following day to announce he was alive and well and declare that the rebels would achieve victory before the impending start of Ramadan.
- ^ http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/07/2011728144624965299.html
- ^ "Libyan rebel commander Abdel Fattah Younes killed". BBC News. BBC. 28 July 2011. Retrieved 28 July 2011.
- ^ Libya opposition's senior leader dead
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14336122
- ^ http://news.sky.com/home/article/16039491
- ^ http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2011/07/29/general-ml-libya_8591777.html
External links
- Defector turns fire against old comrade, Andrew England in Benghazi, Financial Times, 7 March 2011
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