Mohamed Eshtewi

Mohamed Eshtewi (; died 17 December 2017) was a Libyan politician who served as Mayor of Misurata from 2014 until 2017, when he was assassinated.

Life and career In July 2014, Eshtewi and the Misurata City Council were elected with 80,000 votes.

With the rise of ISIS in Libya, Misurata became home to many people fleeing the violence. In May 2016, Eshtewi appealed for international aid, as his city had run out of food and housing for the refugees.

In spring 2017, Mayor Eshtewi and the Misurata Municipal Council were the subjects of opposition by the city's military council, who opposed Eshtewi's support for the Libyan Political Agreement and the Presidential Council. After a series of demonstrations, military council head Ibrahim Ben Rajeb, an ally of the nationwide anti-Presidential Council movement led by Khalifa Ghwell, attempted to stage a coup d'état. On 21 March 2017, the military council announced that the municipal council had been dismissed and replaced by a steering committee. The attempted coup was unsuccessful, largely ignored by municipal staff and the general population.

On 3 May 2017, Eshtewi was forced to resign by protesters who forced their way into a meeting he was holding with Sirte mayor Mukhtar al-Madani and Bunyan Marsous representatives. The protestors stormed the building around 8 pm, pushed and shouted at Eshtewi, and refused to let him exit. There were unconfirmed gunshots, but no weapon was pointed at him. Eshtewi was forced to sign a statement of resignation, but revoked it soon after, stating that he had signed it under duress. In a statement, he vowed to continue his mayoral duties as normal. Just before sunset, he left the airport and was being driven back home from the airport with his brother Ahmed. Eshtewi's brother was shot in the head, and Eshtewi was kidnapped. Eshtewi was buried on Monday, 18 December 2017, around 2:00 pm. Police spokesman Mohamed Ben Al-Amin urged restraint and cautioned not to accuse certain groups without evidence.

Reactions Following Eshtewi's assassination, many important Libyan political figures and institutions released statements. The High Council of State, Presidential Council, and House of Representatives expressed condolences and condemned the murder. Prime Minister and Presidential Council Vice Chairman Ahmed Maiteeq praised Eshtewi's courage and peacemaking efforts, and lamented that Libya was still "bleeding" after the revolution. The Misurata City Council expressed its "deep sorrow and grief" at the murder. Official condemnations of the attack followed from the municipal governments of Sabratha, Tripoli, and Zliten. Misurata's rival cities in the east, Zintan and Bani Walid, did not release statements.

Peter Millett, the British Ambassador to Libya, tweeted that he was "deeply saddened" by the "senseless murder." The Italian embassy in Tripoli released a statement echoing Millett's sentiments. The French Foreign Ministry called the murder a "cowardly act" that indicated an urgent need for a political solution to the current crisis. The Turkish foreign ministry described the "heinous assassination" as an attempt to destabilize Misurata and Libya. United Nations envoy to Libya Ghassan Salamé condemned the killing, calling Eshtewi a contributor to peace in Misurata and Libya.

In addition, Libyan state electricity company GECOL, the National Forces Alliance, and tribal leaders have expressed their regrets.