Two car bombs exploded outside the Egyptian and United Arab Emirates embassies in Tripoli on Thursday. No one was injured in the blasts, according to reports from Reuters. Both diplomatic missions have been closed for several months due security threats and political instability in the capital city. The attacks help to highlight the continuing conflict between secularists and Islamists in the country.
While the explosions broke windows and launched shrapnel into nearby buildings, the embassy buildings remained mostly undamaged. In a statement released to the press, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry condemned the “terror attack” saying it was a “blatant violation” of international law.
People stand at the scene of a car bomb explosion in the eastern city of Tobruk, Libya on November 12, 2014. (Photo: Reuters) |
Another series of bombings on Wednesday rocked the eastern Libyan cities of Tobruk and al-Bayda, killing at least five people. One of the attacks appeared to be targeting Libya’s intelligence service and the internationally recognized government of Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thinni.
Even after winning elections in June, Al-Thinni and many of the elected parliamentarians were forced to flee eastward to Tobruk in August after Islamist militias gained control over much of Tripoli. Since then, the government has tried largely unsuccessfully to confront Islamist militias in the west. Fighters belonging to Libyan Dawn and other rebel groups have long outgunned government troops tasked to protect the country.
Earlier this year, Egypt and the UAE helped al-Thinni’s secular minded government by launching airstrikes against militants around Tripoli. UN led negotiations to broker a ceasefire between Libya’s rival factions have also been unable to stem the county’s violence.
