ROGUE Libyan general Khalifa Haftar, who has led repeated assaults on Islamists in Benghazi, escaped a suicide attack today.

But three supporters of the retired general were killed in an attack on a villa outside the city.

“A suicide bomber in a vehicle packed with explosives attacked a villa where we had gathered,” said General Sagr al-Jerushi, who heads the air wing General Haftar deploys in his attacks.

“Three of our soldiers were killed,” General Jerushi said, adding that he himself had been “lightly wounded” in the attack.

It is the first attack against General Haftar since he launched his offensive aimed at eradicating “terrorists” in Benghazi, in defiance of the government.

The former general claims his forces represent the legitimate Libyan army and has won the support of some regular army units.

But the outgoing Islamist-led parliament in Tripoli accuses him of coup plotting and has branded him an outlaw.