January 30, 2014 (TSR) – Libya‘s interior minister escaped unscathed from an assassination attempt in Tripoli on Wednesday, the official LANA news agency reported.
Seddik Abdelkarim, who is also deputy prime minister, was in his car when “unknown gunmen fired a barrage of bullets” at the vehicle, the agency said, adding nobody was killed or wounded in the attack.
The minister was on his way to parliament when his car was fired upon, LANA reported.
Wednesday’s attack was confirmed by Al-Bahlul al-Sid, the head of the minister’s office, who did not provide further details.
Libyan Interior Minister Al-Seddik AbdelKarim said later on Wednesday that the challenges facing the government are great.
“Some people with ill intention try to suspend the state’s march towards stability,” he said.
“The Libyan people are not afraid of such terrorist acts,” AbdelKarim said, adding that the people will not give up on their country’s sovereignty and dignity.
The attack came less than three weeks after the assassination of deputy industry minister Hassan al-Droui, who was shot in Gaddafi hometown of Sirte on January 12.
Libya has grappled with regular occurrences of assassinations and bombings targeting security officials, journalists and widespread unrest since foreign-backed rebels overthrew and killed nation’s founding father Muammar Gaddafi in a NATO-backed destabilisation in 2011.
In the absence of a strong police and military, the government relies on militias that include many anti-Gaddafi rebels. But many of those militias resist the government’s authority, and are blamed for attacks, human rights abuses, and contributing to the general lawlessness.
Source: Agencies
