US, Europe demand Libya ceasefire as embassies attacked

The United States and European powers pressed Libya's rival factions to set an "unconditional" ceasefire at talks restarting on April 13, as two attacks on foreign embassies were linked to Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants.

A bomb exploded outside the Moroccan embassy in Tripoli, causing no casualties but damaging nearby cars, a security official. Like many others in the Libyan capital, the embassy is currently inactive.
 
Morocco is hosting a UN-backed dialogue between representatives of the two rival governments controlling the country, separate to talks that were to resume April 13 in Algeria.    

The bombing came hours after gunmen opened fire on South Korea's embassy compound from a passing car on April 12, killing two Libyan guards and wounding a third person.    

An AFP photographer said a vehicle used by the security guards was riddled with bullet holes, while it appeared that the main embassy building had not been hit.
 
The foreign ministry in Seoul confirmed the attack, saying three South Koreans working in the embassy -- including two diplomats -- were unhurt.
 
That attack was claimed by ISIL militants, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, and tweets from ISIL supporters used similar wording to claim responsibility for the Moroccan embassy bombing.
 
"A bomb inside a bag went off near the gate of the Moroccan embassy in Bin Ashour area" in central Tripoli, the security official said, adding "there were no casualties".    

"The sound of the explosion was very strong, and the (embassy) house was shaking for a few seconds," one witness told AFP.        

Libya has been plagued by chaos since the end of the 2011 revolt that toppled Moamer Kadhafi,...