Attempted Libya jailbreak leaves 2 prisoners dead

Libya's justice minister says that an attempted jailbreak at a prison outside Tripoli left two prisoners dead.

Salah al-Marghani said today that the prisoners tried to overpower their guards and burn the main building last night. One of those killed was a non-Libyan, he said, without specifying the nationality.

Al-Marghani also said that a day earlier, 10 prisoners escaped when a group of gunmen attacked a vehicle transporting them from the Ayn Zara prison to a Tripoli court.

Libya has experienced a security vacuum since the 2011 overthrow of longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi, including a series of prison breaks.

In the absence of a strong police and military, the government relies on militias to bring order.