LIBYA: Three dead in attack on foreign ministry building in Tripoli

Fighters have stormed Libya’s foreign ministry in the capital, Tripoli, killing at least three people, including a senior civil servant, the authorities said. Ten other people were wounded in what the foreign ministry said was a suicide attack carried out by “terrorists” on Tuesday. A car bomb exploded near the ministry, prompting security forces to […]

Fighters have stormed Libya’s foreign ministry in the capital, Tripoli, killing at least three people, including a senior civil servant, the authorities said.

Ten other people were wounded in what the foreign ministry said was a suicide attack carried out by “terrorists” on Tuesday.

A car bomb exploded near the ministry, prompting security forces to rush to the scene, said special forces spokesman Tarak al-Dawass, accusing the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group of being responsible.

A suicide bomber then blew himself up on the second floor of the building while a second attacker died when the suitcase he was carrying exploded, he said.

A third assailant, who was unarmed and wearing a bulletproof vest, was killed by security forces outside, Dawass added.

A civil servant who headed a department in the foreign ministry was among the dead, security sources said.

Plumes of smoke were seen rising from the building as ambulances, paramedics and security forces gathered outside.