At least three killed, two injured in a blast near the building of the Libyan Foreign Ministry in Tripoli and two attackers were neutralized, media reported Tuesday.
According to Sky News Arabia, one of the attackers committed suicide and the other died of a bullet shot.
Earlier, the 218TV broadcaster reported that one of the three perpetrators has been neutralised.
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No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far, while media reports suggest casualties.
Later in the day, the Libyan unity government's official TV broadcaster reported that a number of "terrorist attackers" were behind the explosion.
As seen in the pictures published by witnesses on Twitter, huge smoke has been visible over the ministry's building. According to Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, shooting has also been heard in the area.
#Breaking Explosion at the Foreign Ministry in #Tripoli. Huge smoke can be seen. Casualties reported. #Libya pic.twitter.com/TbKXz2Oyvo
— Nadia Ramadan (@NadiaR_LY) December 25, 2018
The staff of the ministry has reportedly been evacuated.
The existence of two governments and the collapse of Libya's security system after Gaddafi's overthrow led to an increase in activity of armed rebel groups and terrorist organizations. Due to the lack of centralized power and unified army, Libya has become a center for smuggling and a transit point for undocumented migrants from Africa who attempt to reach Europe.
