Libyan Cabinet Minister Hassan al-Droui Killed In Sirte

Libya’s deputy industry minister has been shot dead during a visit to his hometown of Sirte, east of the capital Tripoli.
Local media quoted officials as saying unknown gunmen “sprayed bullets” at Hassan al-Droui near a central market.
It is the first assassination of a member of Libya’s transitional government.

BBC reports that Libya has suffered continuing lawlessness since the overthrow of Col. Muammar Gaddafi in October 2011.
The motive behind Mr. al-Droui’s assassination is unclear.

Most killings of this kind, which are common in eastern cities like Benghazi and Derna, usually target military and police figures and are often blamed on extreme Islamists groups operating there, BBC says.

Mr. al-Droui was a former member of the National Transitional Council, the political arm of the 2011 uprising.
He was appointed to his role by the transitional government’s first prime minister and kept his position when Ali Zeidan took over.