Car bomb at Libyan army checkpoint near Benghazi kills seven

Published December 22nd, 2013 - 06:36 GMT
Car bombs have frequently targeted checkpoints throughout the north African country (File Archive/AFP)
Car bombs have frequently targeted checkpoints throughout the north African country (File Archive/AFP)

An explosive-packed vehicle killed at least seven people as a suicide bomber rammed it into an army checkpoint outside the city of Benghazi in Libya on Sunday, security sources and witnesses said.

Eight people, including civilians that were at the scene, were injured during the attack which took place 50 kilometers east of Benghazi. These were taken to a hospital in the nearby town of Tokra, Moetez al-Agouri, a police officer serving at the post, told Agence France-Presse.

The death toll was likely to rise as authorities identified body parts scattered around the area after the attack, added Agouri.

“Seven bodies among the victims have been identified but some other bodies were torn to pieces by the explosion,” he said. Agouri was working at the checkpoint but managed to escape the attack uninjured.

The blast left a large crater in the ground, a witness told AFP.

The checkpoint had previously received several threats since arresting four people who were carrying weapons, explosives, and a hit-list in November, Fraj al-Abdelli, the security post’s chief said.

On Friday, the head of military intelligence in Benghazi was shot dead during a visit to his family in the nearby town of Derna.

Benghazi, the city from which the 2011 uprising that toppled dictator Moammar Gaddafi stemmed, saw a series of attacks in recent months resulting in over 300 deaths.

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