Defense Minister designate of UN-proposed government Mihdi Baraghati escaped an assassination attempt when a car bomb targeted his motorcade in Libya's Benghazi Wednesday night. The media office of Mihdi Baraghati said a car bomb, parked in the roundabout of Al-Arab Medical University near Benghazi Medical Center, went off as the motorcade was passing by. Baraghati was not hurt, the media office confirmed. One of his bodyguards was injured and a number of his military vehicles were smashed. A man and his two daughters, who were driving near Baraghati's motorcade, were also wounded in the blast. Sources said Baraghati was meeting with a number of chiefs of armed brigades, mostly from his Awaqir tribe, at his 204 Tanks Brigade barracks. Awaqir tribe is at odds with rogue General Khalifa Haftar, the chief of Dignity Operation. Last month, Faraj Egaim, the chief of so-called Special Tasks Force, an armed group from Awaqir tribe, revealed that a ring loyal to Khalifa Haftar was busted in Benghazi for attempting to assassinate Defense Minister designate Mihdi Baraghati. Relation between Khalifa Haftar and Mihdi Baraghati has strained after the latter's acceptance to the post of defense minister in the UN-proposed government, which Haftar refuses. Relations were also deteriorated between Khalifa Haftar and Awaqir tribe after the dissolution of 2 armed groups from Awaqir tribe that were operating under Dignity Operation. The so-called Special Tasks Force, headed by Faraj Egaim, and Military Intelligence, headed by Salah Bulghaib, were branded as militias by Khalifa Haftar after taking Baraghati's side.
