Bomb goes off near Egyptian embassy in Libya

A car bomb has gone off near the Egyptian Embassy in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, where the country’s government is facing a challenge from rival armed groups.

According to witnesses and residents, the blast occurred on Thursday.

Although reports have not indicated whether the embassy was hit or not, the bombing has caused some property damage in the area.

A second bomb blast also reportedly went off near the United Arab Emirates (UAE)’s Embassy in the Libyan capital.

The bombings on Thursday followed a series of deadly car bombings on November 12, which killed at least nine people and wounded 20 others in Tobruk and the port city of Al-Bayda.

Egypt and the UAE pulled their diplomatic staff out of Tripoli when the clashes between armed groups intensified over the summer.

Meanwhile, militia groups opposing the Libyan government have accused retired army general Khalifa Haftar, who has been fighting to liberate the city of Benghazi from militants, of receiving support from neighboring Egypt.

Libya’s government and elected parliament moved to Tobruk after an armed group from Misrata seized the capital and most government institutions in August.

The North African country plunged into chaos following the 2011 uprising that toppled longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi. The ouster of Gaddafi gave rise to a patchwork of heavily-armed militias and deep political divisions.

The Arab country has been witnessing numerous clashes between government forces and rival militia groups that refuse to lay down arms. The groups are now turning their guns on each other in an attempt to dominate politics and the country’s vast oil resources.