24 Apr 2013

Bomb outside French embassy

7:33 am on 24 April 2013

A car bomb has exploded outside the French embassy in the Libyan capital Tripoli, wounding two French guards and several residents.

The blast destroyed the embassy's ground-floor reception area and perimeter wall, as well as damaging neighbouring houses and shops.

The explosion happened shortly after 7am on Tuesday. The bomb vehicle was in a side street.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

The BBC reports it was the first major attack on a foreign embassy in the Libyan capital.

The US consulate in Benghazi was attacked by armed men in September 2012, leading to the killing of Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other American officials.