Suicide bomber hits rouge Libyan general’s forces

By: 10 years ago

In this image made from video provided by the Libyan national army via AP Television, smoke rises over the parliament area after troops of Gen. Khalifa Hifter targeted Islamist lawmakers and officials at the parliament in Tripoli, Libya, Sunday, May 18, 2014. Forces loyal to a rogue Libyan general attacked the country’s parliament Sunday, expanding his eastern offensive against Islamists into the heart of the country’s capital. AP

CAIRO — A Libyan security official says a suicide car bomber has targeted a checkpoint manned by troops loyal to a rogue Libyan general outside the eastern city of Benghazi, wounding three people.

The official says the bomber detonated his explosives-laden vehicle on Wednesday night, killing himself and wounding three of Gen. Khalifa Hifter’s fighters.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

Hifter is leading an offensive against Islamic militias and Islamists dominating Libya’s political scene. His troops, along with their allies, have bombed militia camps in and around Benghazi in recent weeks.

The fighting has escalated the crisis in Libya, which has been embroiled in turmoil since the 2011 civil war and the downfall of longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi.