Shelling hits US embassy headquarters in Tripoli

Indiscriminate shelling on Tuesday hit the headquarters of the US embassy in the Libyan capital Tripoli, as clashes continue between government forces and militias, a security source said.

"An unknown number of indiscriminate shells hit the US embassy building. The damage due to the fire caused by the missiles remains unknown," a source of the Interior Ministry told Xinhua news agency.

"The firefighters cannot reach the building as it is located in the near Tripoli International Airport on the southern outskirts of the capital, where clashes broke out again," the source said, noting that the embassy building is currently empty.

Southern Tripoli has been witnessing violent clashes since last week between government forces and armed militias, which killed and injured many people.

The reasons for the clashes remain unknown, with growing tension and military mobilisation over the past few days between armed groups from outside and inside the city.

--IANS

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