The commander of so-called Brigade 12 of Khalifa Haftar’s forces and prominent Gaddafi loyalist Mohammad Ben Nayel has died in a Benghazi hospital for health reasons, according to pro-Haftar social media.

According to media sources, Ben Nayel was badly injured in Libyan Army attacks on Haftar's forces in Tarhouna last May, when several senior commanders were killed including Ben Nayel's assistant.

Ben Nayel was wanted by the Military Prosecutor for his crimes against civilians in Tripoli and for participating as a commander of Heera frontline in the aggression of Haftar's forces on the Libyan capital.

In 2015, he was captured by Third Brigade of the Libyan Army during clashes with Gaddafi loyalist armed groups in south Libya as they announced being part of Haftar's coup on legitimacy at the time. He was later released for health reasons via prisoners exchange with southern region fighters.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Ben Nayel was a prominent senior commander under Gaddafi's rule and he was part of many chaotic missions in Niger and Chad, especially the bombing of French UTA aircraft, and Abu Salim Massacre in Tripoli.