Italy says its embassy staff is safe after Libya bombing

ROME – Italy’s foreign ministry says the staff at its embassy in Tripoli, Libya, are all safe after a car bombing “in the vicinity of the Italian and Egyptian embassies” in that city.

The ministry said late Saturday that a vehicle “full of explosives” blew up earlier in the evening and that “it seems” there were two victims, who presumably were the two people in the car.

Italy said that Libyan authorities have stepped up security near the Italian embassy, which was recently re-opened.

Rome has played a leading role in trying to encourage a unity government in Libya. The North African country has been wracked by fighting and other violence involving rival militias after the demise of longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi in 2011.