The US announced that the Special Forces captured a militant who is believed to have played a role in the Benghazi attack on US diplomatic compound in 2012, which killed US Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans.
A US official told Reuters, speaking on the condition of anonymity, that US Special Operations Forces captured the militant in Libya.
The Associated Press also reported another US official stating that the man was arrested Sunday night and is being transferred to the US. The official refused to reveal the militant's name.
Officials said the man was now in the custody of the Justice Department and being transported to the United States by the military.
The Justice Department issued a statement saying that the suspect has been charged with “killing a person in the course of an attack on a federal facility” and providing “material support to terrorists resulting in death."
He will appear before a federal judge in Washington when he arrives in the United States, added the statement.
In addition, US prosecutors opened their case against another suspect in the Benghazi case, Ahmed Abu Khatallah.
Khatallah had been awaiting trial since 2014, when he was captured by a team of US military and FBI officials in Libya.
However, Khatallah is denying all allegations against him and his involvement in the 2012 attack.
In related news, deputy justice minister in the temporary government Sahar Banoon announced that the general prosecutor began, with the cooperation of the military police, investigations into the al-Abyar incident.
Earlier, the dead bodies of 36 people were found in Abyar, west of Benghazi, 22 of which have been identified. The bodies are believed to belong to militants, including 19 foreigners, who were shot to death.
Banoon told DW News that all the bodies belonged to persons who had been kidnapped in the city and were found handcuffed with gun wounds in the head.
UN Secretary General and Special Representative and Head of UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) Ghassan Salame condemned in the strongest terms the killings.
“I am appalled by this heinous crime. I call for a prompt, impartial and effective investigation to bring perpetrators to Justice,” he demanded.
“There have been many cases of this nature in the last two years, yet no accountability,” he added.
The Special Representative reminded that committing, ordering or permitting the killing of captives is a crime under domestic and international law.
Commander of Libyan National Army (LNA) Field Marshal Khalifah Haftar directed the military general prosecutor to investigate the incident.
Meanwhile, the presidential council of Government of National Accord (GNA) chaired by Fayez al-Sarraj issued a statement condemning the "heinous crime" and the horrifying act that led to the wholesale killing of 36 persons after being tortured then tossed on the road in al-Abyar
"This is is a crime, and all crimes will not pass without any earned punishment no matter how long it takes,” he declared.
