DEADLY CAR BOMBING HITS LIBYA’S VOLATILE BENGHAZI

      Benghazi,  4 Rajab 1434/14 Mei 2013 (MINA) – A powerful car bomb exploded Monday (13/5) near a hospital in the Libyan city of Benghazi, killing and wounding dozens in what officials said was the first such attack on civilians since Moamer Kadhafi’s ouster.

      Officials gave contradicting death tolls, however, as information trickled in about the devastating bombing which destroyed a restaurant and damaged cars and buildings near Al-Jala hospital in the centre of Benghazi.

      Deputy Interior Minister Abdullah Massoud said 15 people were killed and another 30 wounded in the attack on the eastern city, cradle of the 2011 armed uprising in which Kadhafi was killed.

      He stressed it was only a “preliminary toll”.

      But health ministry spokesman Salah Abdeldayem  told  Tripoli that four people died and six were wounded.

      A police official in Benghazi, Tarak al-Kharaz told Libya’s Al-Ahrar television station, gave a higher toll, kil 13 people and wounded 41 others.

      Witnesses said children were among the casualties, but it was not immediately clear if they were dead or wounded.

      The bombing wrecked cars and left debris scattered on the ground.

      The deputy interior minister said the blast “totally destroyed a restaurant” and damaged buildings near the hospital.

      A security official said the blast ripped through the hospital’s car park. Modern Ghana quoted by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

      Justice Minister Salah al-Mirghani denounced a terror  and vowed the authorities would do everything possible to arrest the criminals.

      Mirghani also urged unity among Libyans as commentators noted the bombing was the first to target civilians in Libya since the 2011 uprising that toppled Kadhafi’s regime and to take place in broad daylight.

     Benghazi, Libya’s second city, has seen a wave of violence in recent weeks. But previous attacks, bombings or assassinations, have rocked the city by night or in the early hours of the day when the streets are empty, and have hit non-civilian targets, namely security officials.

     Four police stations have been bombed in Benghazi in recent days — two on Friday and two on Sunday — causing damage but no casualties.

     “We still don’t know if this bombing targeted civilians or one particular individual,” a security official said. (T/P09/P04).

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)