French Embassy in Libya hit by car bombing

A car bomb targeted the French Embassy in the Libyan capital early Tuesday, wounding two French guards and a Libyan teenager in an attack that President Francois Hollande denounced as an assault not only on France but all countries engaged in the fight against terrorism.

Two years after the country's civil war, Libya is struggling to maintain security, build a unified army and reign in militias, which include rebels who fought to oust the country's longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011.

It was the first such assault on an embassy in the Libyan capital. On Sept. 11, four Americansincluding the U.S. Ambassador in Libya Chris Stevenswere killed when militants attacked the U.S. diplomatic mission on the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi.

Also, in the post-Gadhafi turmoil in Libya, several diplomats, relief agencies and churches have come under attack and scores of Libyan security officials have been assassinated. In most cases, the government fails to nail down culprits or make arrests, either because of fear of counterattacks or the lack of capabilities to carry out a proper investigation.

In the latest attack, the explosives-laden car was detonated just outside the embassy building in Tripoli's upscale al-Andalus neighbourhood early in the morning, before any of the embassy staff had arrived inside the diplomatic mission, two Libyan security officials said.

The strong explosion wounded two French guards and set off a fire at the embassy entrance that engulfed some of the offices inside, the officials said. A Libyan girl in her teens, who was in a nearby house, was also hurt from the blast.

Two cars parked outside the embassy caught fire and two other nearby buildings were also damaged, said the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. Firefighters rushed to the scene of the attack as smoke billowed into the sky. Video from the scene showed charred walls on surrounding houses.

The officials said the motives for the attack were not immediately clear. The Libyan government condemned the attack and said in a statement posted on its official website that it "rejects such actions, which are directly targeting Libya's security and stability."

France reinforcing security

In Paris, President Hollande denounced the attack, saying in a statement that it targeted not only France but "all countries in the international community engaged in fighting terrorism."

"France expects the Libyan authorities to shed the fullest light on this unacceptable act, so that the perpetrators are identified and brought to justice," Hollande added.

At Hollande's request, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius was to travel to Tripoli later Tuesday to assess the situation and bring home the two wounded French guards.

Ahead of his flight, Fabius said "this bombing was intended to kill, but France will not bend." He added that France was reinforcing security throughout the Mideast and the Sahel region of Africa.

Earlier, Fabius called the bombing an "abhorrent act," and said that the foreign ministry was "in liaison with the Libyan authorities" and that France will "do everything it can to shed light on the circumstances."

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned the attack and sent his sympathies to the victims and their families.

"The targeting of diplomatic missions and their staff is not acceptable and never justifiable," Ban said in a statement.

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird also condemned the attacks.

"We stand resolutely with our French and Libyan friends, and urge Libyan officials to prosecute those responsible," a statement issued by Baird said.

"Such acts of violence will only strengthen our resolve to promote peace, security and prosperity in Libya."

French institutions in Tripoli, including schools and cultural centres, were ordered to immediately suspend their activities.

France, along with Britain, took a leading role in the NATO-led air campaign against Gadhafi's forces.

Libya awash with weapons

Hollande's predecessor, President Nicolas Sarkozy, was hailed by many in Libya for France's role, and Paris has sought to maintain close economic and political contacts with the new leadership in Tripoli.

However, the war left Libya awash with weapons, adding to the country's security challenges. An expert panel wrote to the UN Security Council this month warning that "Libya has over the past two years become a significant and attractive source of weaponry in the region."

It said civilians and militias remain in control of most weapons in Libya, adding that "the lack of an effective security system remains one of the primary obstacles to securing military materiel and controlling the borders."

French officials have expressed concerns about the possibility of greater instability in Libya, where they believe at least some rebel fighters from Mali fled following France's military onslaught to dislodge al-Qaeda-linked militants who controlled the vast north of the West African country for months.

Last week, al-Qaeda's North Africa branch, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, threatened to seek revenge against all countries taking part in the French-led war in Mali, warning that no one who "participated in this ferocious attack" will be safe.

It called on "all Muslims to target France and its interests and subjects inside and outside France until it withdraws the last soldier from the land of the Muslims and lifts its support of rulers of the region." That threat came as part of a question and answer session on AQIM's new Twitter account.

AQIM operates a 7,000-kilometre-long strip across the Sahel region, including not only Mali but also portions of Mauritania, Niger, Algeria, Libya, Burkina Faso and Chad.

The two Libyan security officials said that one of the wounded guards sustained severe injuries while the other was lightly hurt, adding that an investigation into the attack was underway.

The attack site was later cordoned off, with heavy national guard and army units with armoured vehicles surrounding the area. Libyan Deputy Prime Minister Awad al-Barassi and Foreign Minister Mohamed Abdelaziz visited the site.