Libyan assassination attempts

Military officials said a bomber drove up to the residence of General Khalifa Haftar on Wednesday in Benghazi and detonated his explosives-laden vehicle when guards stopped him at the compound's gate.

Four people died in the attack, along with the bomber, and at least three were wounded. Officials said the Libyan air force's chief of staff, Saqr al-Garoushi, was wounded in the explosion and taken to a Benghazi hospital.

There were conflicting reports on whether Gen. Khalifa Haftar was wounded in the attack. A spokesman for the General said he had not been hurt but other military officials said he was wounded.

No one has immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

A former army chief under the late dictator Moammar Gadhafi, Haftar and army units loyal to him launched an offensive last month against Islamist militias, mainly in eastern Libya.

He has rallied support from the country's weakened military, anti-Islamist politicians, tribes and diplomats, vowing to crush the Islamist militias he blames for Libya's instability.

Meanwhile, there were reports that gunmen fired a rocket-propelled grenade at the office of new Libyan Prime Minister Ahmed Maiteeq.

The rocket reportedly caused damage but no casualties when it struck the third floor of the building near central Tripoli overnight. Maiteeq was not in his office at the time.

Maiteeq, an independent backed by Islamists, had convened his first cabinet meeting on Monday despite the objections of outgoing premier Abdullah al-Thani, who refused to recognize his government.

Thani said he would wait for the judiciary to decide whether to hand over power, citing appeals lodged by lawmakers over Maiteeq's election in early May.

crh/hc (AP, Reuters, AFP)