US State Department Confirms Death of US National in Libya

WASHINGTON, January 28 (Sputnik) — The US State Department confirmed death of one US national in Libya, the statement released by the department’s press office said.

“We can confirm the death of a US citizen in Libya. We have no additional details to share at this time,” Senior State Department Official stated Tuesday.

Earlier on Tuesday a car exploded outside of the hotel in Tripoli killing three guards. After the attack security forces stormed the building and arrested a gunman, Al Arabiya reported. Other media reports incicate that some senior officials were inside the hotel and several people were taken hostage. The French government has recently confirmed that the country’s national was among the victims killed during the attack.

According to the SITE Intelligence Group, the assault has been a revenge for the death of Abu Anas al-Libi, was an alleged al-Qaeda member suspected in the bombings of the US embassies in Tanzania and Kenya in 1998. He was captured by US forces in Tripoli in October 2013 and died in a US hospital earlier in January.

After Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown in 2011, the country has been in a state of social and political turmoil. Several militia groups are now involved in a struggle for power.