Blast rocks Libyan city where Thinni was meeting UN
#LibyaCrisisBlast could have been meant for the local police station and not the meeting: House of Representatives official
A blast rocked the eastern Libyan city of Shahat on Sunday, where the UN special envoy was due to meet with internationally-recognised Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thinni.
No injuries were reported with one government official so far saying that it was a car bomb and images of burnt out vehicles quickly popping up on social media.
انفجار امام مديرية امن #شحات كان يستهدف موكب مبعوث الأمم المتحدة برناندينيو ليون في #ليبيا#Libya pic.twitter.com/uvw56ut9JC
— Loay Farkash 🇱🇾 (@loayomran) November 9, 2014
Thinni was due to meet UN envoy Bernadino Leon close to the blast. However, sources from the House of Representatives told BBC’s Libya correspondent that the UN, was not the likely target and that the bomb was probably meant for the local police headquarters.
1. Ahmed Naas, from office of #Libya PM's second deputy- witness at scene-tells BBC he doesn't believe UNSMIL deleg. was target in car bomb
— Rana Jawad (@Rana_J01) November 9, 2014
3. Mr. Naas says "it was police HQ that was the target b/c there was also a car bomb early morn. targeting Police bldg in Al Bayda" #Libya
— Rana Jawad (@Rana_J01) November 9, 2014
Thinni and Leon were due to meet in a different building, and reportedly heard the blast, according to the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).
