Get all the very latest news in Ireland straight to your email every single day Sign up! Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

An Irishman who commanded rebel groups in both Libya and Syria has been elected as the mayor of Tripoli, it has been reported.

Mahdi al-Harati, an Irish citizen from Firhouse in Dublin, was chosen as the city head by the Libyan capital’s new municipal council on Wednesday, state news agency Lana said.

41-year-old Al-Harati, who lived in Ireland for 20 years and also married an Irishwoman, returned to the war-torn North African in 2011 and was part of the armed revolt that overthrew dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

He is said to have founded a brigade that fought its way into the capital that year in a series of gun battles.

The Arabic teacher was sought after by media outlets for his command of English in a country that predominantly speaks the African and Middle Eastern language.

Mr al-Harati then became a deputy military chief in Tripoli, before leaving for Syria to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad's forces.

Mr al-Harati was also one of those seized after an Israeli attack on a Gaza flotilla ship, the Mavi Marmara, in April 2010.

He was reported to have been wounded and spent nine days in a jail in Tel-Aviv. Al-Harati also appeared on the Late Late Show on RTE in 2011.