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Libya gunmen attack Corinthia Hotel in Tripoli | Libya gunmen attack Corinthia Hotel in Tripoli |
(30 minutes later) | |
Militants have attacked a hotel popular with foreigners in Libya's capital, killing at least three people and injuring 12 others, officials say. | |
Several gunmen stormed the Corinthia Hotel in Tripoli and opened fire in the reception area. A car bomb also exploded outside the hotel. | Several gunmen stormed the Corinthia Hotel in Tripoli and opened fire in the reception area. A car bomb also exploded outside the hotel. |
Unconfirmed reports say some of the assailants have blown themselves up and that foreigners are among the dead. | |
A Twitter account linked to Islamic State said it carried out the attack. | |
The claim could not be verified. | |
Operation 'over' | |
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 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." |
The total number of attackers is not clear. Different sources at the scene said there were between three and five - one says that several of the attackers have blown themselves up. | The total number of attackers is not clear. Different sources at the scene said there were between three and five - one says that several of the attackers have blown themselves up. |
A security source told the BBC that one gunman had been arrested. | |
There were also conflicting reports about the number of fatalities. | |
Officials initially said three security guards had been killed by the car bomb blast. | |
But a local official was later quoted by the Reuters news agency as telling local TV that at least eight people, including five foreigners, had been killed in the attack. | |
The BBC's Rana Jawad in Tripoli says interior ministry officials have declared that the operation against the attackers has come to an end, but that this cannot be confirmed. | |
A number of foreign companies have makeshift offices in the hotel, our correspondent adds. | A number of foreign companies have makeshift offices in the hotel, our correspondent adds. |
One hotel employee told the Associated Press news agency that the hotel was mostly empty at the time of the attack. | 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". | 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". |
'Reprehensible act' | 'Reprehensible act' |
The Corinthia Hotel is popular with foreign diplomats and government officials. The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (Unsmil) has hosted several workshops at the hotel. | The Corinthia Hotel is popular with foreign diplomats and government officials. The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (Unsmil) has hosted several workshops at the hotel. |
Federica Mogherini, the European Union's foreign affairs chief, condemned the attack as "another reprehensible act of terrorism which deals a blow to efforts to bring peace and stability to Libya". | Federica Mogherini, the European Union's foreign affairs chief, condemned the attack as "another reprehensible act of terrorism which deals a blow to efforts to bring peace and stability to Libya". |
The Twitter account linked to IS said that the group had carried out the attack in revenge for the death of Abu Anas al-Liby, a Libyan jihadist who was suspected of involvement in the bombings of two US embassies in East Africa in 1998. | The Twitter account linked to IS said that the group had carried out the attack in revenge for the death of Abu Anas al-Liby, a Libyan jihadist who was suspected of involvement in the bombings of two US embassies in East Africa in 1998. |
Liby died in a US hospital on 2 January, days before he was due to stand trial. | Liby died in a US hospital on 2 January, days before he was due to stand trial. |
Correspondents say it is difficult to assess whether IS has a presence in Libya. | Correspondents say it is difficult to assess whether IS has a presence in Libya. |
A number of attacks in the country have been claimed by social media accounts that say they represent the jihadist group, however it is hard to verify their claims. | A number of attacks in the country have been claimed by social media accounts that say they represent the jihadist group, however it is hard to verify their claims. |
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. |
Numerous militias govern their own patches of territory, with successive governments struggling to exercise control. | Numerous militias govern their own patches of territory, with successive governments struggling to exercise control. |