Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

Haftar Discusses Benghazi Post-Liberation Phase, Booby-Trapped Cars Back to Tripoli | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
Select Page
Media ID: 55358066
Caption:

People stand at the scene of a car bomb explosion in the eastern city of Tobruk, near the Egyptian border November 12, 2014. REUTERS/Stringer


Cairo-Two car bombs exploded near Tripoli’s foreign ministry and a naval base used by Libya’s U.N.-backed government early on Thursday. There were no casualties from either bombing.

U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Wednesday that the Libyan forces affiliated to the Presidential Council (PC) are close to defeating ISIS in the city of Sirte.

Carter stated at a news conference in London that the United States would not end its support for Libya after regaining Sirte. “I expect that they’ll eliminate remaining opposition shortly,” said Carter.

The spokesperson of the General Administration of the Central Security in Tripoli, Essam Al-Naas, said that two explosions occurred in Tripoli at 8:30 am on Thursday.

He stated that two car bombs exploded- the first was near the headquarters of the Foreign Ministry, while the other was close to the Navy Base.

Al-Naas confirmed that there were some material damage but no casualties.

The Libyan News Agency (LANA) stated that traffic in Tripoli was not influenced; security bodies are carrying out investigations to find the perpetrators.

The Libyan capital was a victim of several car bombs in the past years. The latest explosion was near a prison in the center of the city. It caused no casualties but just material damages.

Meanwhile, the Libyan National Army in the east announced that the meeting held on Wednesday between General Khalifa Haftar and the heads of military operations discussed the Benghazi post-liberation phase, considering that the city is almost purged of terrorists.

Ahmed el-Mesmari, the spokesman for the Libyan military in the east, also announced during a press conference he held on Wednesday that battles in Benghazi are almost over.