Top Libyan rebel commander killed

28 July 2011 Last updated at 17:17 ET

Abdel Fattah nes defected in February

The military commander of the Libyan rebels fighting to topple Col Muammar Gaddafi has been killed, the rebel National Transitional Council says.

NTC head Mustafa Abdul-Jalil said Gen Abdel Fattah nes was killed by pro-Gaddafi assailants, and the head of the group responsible had been arrested.

He said Gen nes was summoned for questioning about military operations, but never made it to the meeting.

Reports said Gen nes was suspected of ties to pro-Gaddafi forces.

Gen nes is a former Libyan interior minister who defected to the rebel side in February.

Two aides to Gen nes, Col Muhammad Khamis and Nasir al-Madhkur, were also killed in the attack, Mr Jalil said.

Some unconfirmed reports said Gen nes and two aides had been arrested earlier on Thursday near Libya’s eastern front.

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