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Libya gunmen attack Corinthia Hotel in Tripoli | Libya gunmen attack Corinthia Hotel in Tripoli |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Militants have attacked a hotel popular with foreigners in Libya's capital, killing three guards, officials say. | |
At least two gunmen stormed Tripoli's Corinthia Hotel and opened fire in the reception area. A car bomb exploded outside the hotel shortly afterwards. | |
It is not clear whether the gunmen are still inside the hotel, and whether any civilians are trapped there. | It is not clear whether the gunmen are still inside the hotel, and whether any civilians are trapped there. |
A Twitter account linked to Islamic State (IS) said it had attacked the hotel. The claim could not be verified. | A Twitter account linked to Islamic State (IS) said it had attacked the hotel. The claim could not be verified. |
A civilian who witnessed the attack told the BBC: "I suddenly heard shots and saw people running towards me, and we all escaped from the back [of the hotel] through the underground garage. The hotel did a lockdown after that." | |
A security source told the BBC that one gunman had been arrested, and that another two assailants were still inside the hotel. | |
The surrounding has been sealed off, the BBC's Rana Jawad in Tripoli reports. | |
One hotel employee told the Associated Press news agency that the hotel was mostly empty at the time of the attack. | |
Meanwhile, a hotel security source told the BBC that the hotel had received a threat "a few days ago" warning managers "to empty the building". | |
Libya has been hit by instability since the overthrow of long-time ruler Col Muammar Gaddafi in October 2011. | Libya has been hit by instability since the overthrow of long-time ruler Col Muammar Gaddafi in October 2011. |