First it was the Americans. Now it is the Russians' turn. Al Arabiya reports [4](and Itar-Tass confirms [5]) that "Gunmen attacked the Russian embassy in the Libyan capital Tripoli on Wednesday, Al Arabiya correspondent reported. The sound of gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades could be heard around the embassy, the correspondent added. No further details were immediately available." According to unverified reports on Twitter, the embassy had been evacuated before the attack (the Russian NSA appears to be more efficient than its US equivalent).
The Russian embassy in Tripoli:
[6]
RT adds [7]:
The Russian embassy in Tripoli, Libya, has come under fire and there were attempts to get into Russia’s diplomatic compound, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“There has been an incident in Tripoli tonight, in which there was shelling and attempts to enter the territory of the Russian Embassy in this country,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Aleksandr Lukashevich told RT.
According to preliminary information, there are no reports of injuries among the staff.
Nearly two years after Gaddafi was deposed and killed, Tripoli and other Libyan cities have been plagued by violence, lawlessness and factional infighting.
The presence of militiamen remains more visible than actual state security forces in the capital, while vast portions of the oil-producing desert country remain completely out of the central government’s control.
A possible photo from the scene of the attack.
From scene at the Russian diplomatic building after rumors of a Russian Assasin killed a Libyan pic.twitter.com/OjMPn03fVS [8]
— Rida (@libyanproud) October 2, 2013 [9]