Brigade “444 Qital,” affiliated with the General Staff of the Libyan Army under the Government of National Unity, announced it thwarted a terrorist attack targeting the vicinity of one of its camps in the city of Bani Walid, northwest Libya, yesterday (Tuesday).

An official statement from the brigade reported that a suicide attacker detonated a car bomb at the camp’s gate in an attempt to cause human and material damage, but the brigade’s quick response prevented any casualties or material damage.

The statement confirmed that investigations began immediately to identify the attacker and the organizing party behind the attack, stressing the brigade’s continued readiness to protect the area and pursue terrorist elements, noting the attack occurred amid suspicious military movements in western Libya.

Local media monitored movements of armed groups loyal and opposed to the Government of National Unity led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, while the United Nations Support Mission in Libya warned of escalating security tensions that could lead to armed confrontations in the capital Tripoli, urging parties to exercise restraint and continue negotiations under the Presidential Council’s supervision.

Brigade 444 Qital affirmed in its statement that such “cowardly methods” will not deter it from continuing its efforts to maintain security and combat terrorism and organized crime in the region. The attack caused widespread concern among Bani Walid residents, who expressed fears of escalating violence on the X platform.

Brigade 444 Qital is a military formation affiliated with the Ministry of Defense under the Government of National Unity in Tripoli. It was established in 2021 after the split of “Battalion 20-20” from the Special Deterrence Force and is considered one of the main regular forces in western Libya. It is based at the Takbali camp south of Tripoli and deployed in cities such as Bani Walid and Tarhuna.

The brigade undertakes security missions including combating terrorism, fuel smuggling, human trafficking, and organized crime. Since its establishment, it has succeeded in thwarting several smuggling operations, freeing hostages, and contributing to restoring stability in southern Tripoli after expelling irregular armed groups.

Bani Walid, where the attack took place, is a strategic city in western Libya. It was formerly a stronghold for armed groups linked to Muammar Gaddafi’s regime. Since the regime’s fall in 2011, Libya has experienced political and military division between the Government of National Unity in Tripoli, led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, and a parallel government in the east supported by Marshal Khalifa Haftar.