image: AFP
A powerful blast has caused severe damage to a foreign ministry building in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, witnesses say.
It was not immediately known if Wednesday’s blast, which the witnesses said appeared to have been caused by a car bomb, had resulted in casualties.
The explosion comes on the first anniversary of an attack by militants on the United States consulate in Benghazi, which killed four Americans, including the ambassador.
Today is also the anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks on the US.
Eyewitness and Benghazi resident Sami Berriwen told CNN he saw no casualties as a result of the blast, which occurred at about 7 a.m.
Berriwen, a university student, said that if the blast had happened just an hour later, the street would have been full of people. He said most Benghazi residents walk this street to get to school and to work, but because of the early hour, no one was out yet.
Berriwan said he did not see what caused the blast. He saw a fire truck but no ambulances on the scene.
Diplomatic missions and security officials have repeatedly been the target of attacks in Benghazi, leading most Westerners to leave.
