THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: TRIPOLI—Security officials were investigating what Libyan officials said was a car bomb that exploded in front of the French Embassy in downtown Tripoli, injuring two French guards and destroying much of the diplomatic compound.
The explosion, which crushed the external walls surrounding the compound and was powerful enough to destroy vehicles and shatter windows for several blocks, occurred before normal office hours, around 7:30 a.m., according to neighbors and witnesses. The timing appears to have minimized the loss of life, according to Libyan security officials and firefighters who rushed to the scene.
It wasn't immediately clear who was responsible for the blast, which is the first large-scale attack against foreigners in Libya since the Sept. 11, 2012, attack in Benghazi that killed four Americans, including the U.S. ambassador.
French Interior Minister Manuel Valls said one of the two French guards was "severely" injured. It wasn't immediately known where the guards were evacuated to or where they were receiving medical treatment. » | Ayman Al-Kekly in Tripoli, Margaret Coker in Abu Dhabi and Inti Landauro in Paris | Tuesday, April 23, 2013
