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Libya interior minister escapes assassination bid

By AFP - Jan 29,2014 - Last updated at Jan 29,2014

TRIPOLI — Libya’s interior minister said he escaped unharmed from an assassination attempt in Tripoli Wednesday, defiantly vowing not to give in to “intimidation”.

Seddik Abdelkarim, who is also deputy prime minister, told reporters his convoy came under fire on the road to the airport, without causing casualties.

Avoiding any specific accusation of blame, he said the attack was the work of “persons who want to obstruct the stabilisation process” in Libya.

“We will not be intimidated by bullets or bombs... We will not accept directives or threats from anyone,” said the minister.

The official LANA news agency reported earlier that his car came under “a barrage of bullets”.

Libya has grappled with widespread unrest since rebels overthrew and killed long-ruling dictator Muammar Qadhafi in a NATO-backed uprising in 2011.

The attack came less than three weeks after the assassination of deputy industry minister, Hassan Al Droui, who was shot in Qadhafi’s hometown of Sirte on January 12.

The uprising left Libya awash in weapons looted from Qadhafi’s vast arsenals, complicating the government’s efforts to rein in former rebels who effectively control much of the country.

Libya has seen near-daily attacks on security forces, particularly in and around the eastern city of Benghazi, cradle of the revolt.

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