Libyan Rebel Leaders Disband Cabinet

Mustapha Jalil disbands the TNC executive council over the death of Gen. Younes.

In the wake of chief military officer Abdel Fattah Younis's death, Mustapha Abdul Jalil, the movement's leader, has disolved his executive committee, BBC News reports. Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril has been tasked with presenting a new council to the National Transitional Council, "for approval in the coming days," The New York Times reports. A rebel spokesman told the Times the council was disolved "'for improper administrative procedures' that led to the arrest and subsequent killing of the military leader, Gen. Abdul Fattah Younes." There are no longer ministers of defense, finance, interior, or justice.

The details surrounding the death of Gen. Younes are "murky," as The Times points out. The early reports of his death were confusing, and there was some evidence he was killed by rebel forces. Younes was issued an arrest warrant right before his death summoning him back to Bengahzi over suspicions he was still working with Muammar Qaddafi. Younes was a former Interior minister under Qadaffi.

Gen. Younes' family were receptive to the cabinet reshuffling. They released a joint statement with the general's tribe, the Obeidi, and said, "We only care about justice. We don’t seek power. We insist on bringing those involved with the assassination, regardless of their ranks or titles, to be prosecuted by a fair, civilized judicial system."

The cabinet reshuffling is also an effort by homegrown Libyan rebel leaders to curtail the rise of leaders who've spent too much time away from Libya. There have been complaints that too many cabinet minister were "unknown" to most Libyans, and most of them spent too much time abroad, like in Qatar. Most were in exile and returned to high ranking positions. A rebel spokesman told the Times Prime Minister Jibril "has rarely been seen in Benghazi" and "would be required to start spending more time in Libya."