Tripoli, 7 August:
Armed assailants targeted a diplomatic vehicle carrying two American embassy officials yesterday morning, in what has been described as . . .[restrict]a possible carjacking attempt.
The personnel managed to evade the attack and arrive safely at their destination, with neither being harmed during the incident.
“We do not know if the attackers were specifically targeting US Embassy personnel or if this was just another attempted carjacking” an embassy spokesman said.
“We have put out a message to American citizens here warning them of the uncertainty of the environment and reminding them that the embassy advises against all but essential travel to Libya”, he added.
“We have no information as to the identity of the attackers, but we have been in contact with the authorities”.
Diplomatic vehicles and buildings have been targeted several times in recent months in both Tripoli and Benghazi.
On 5 June the US mission in Benghazi was attacked by Islamist militants, six days before a diplomatic convoy carrying the British ambassador was assaulted in the same city. The Tunisian consulates in Tripoli and Benghazi were also attacked later the same month.
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