Photo taken on Jan. 21, 2017 shows the damaged building after a car bomb exploded near the Italian embassy in Tripoli, Libya. A car bomb explosion hit the Libyan capital Tripoli near the Italian embassy and killed two people.(Xinhua/Hamza Turkia)
TRIPOLI, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- A car bomb explosion hit the Libyan capital Tripoli late Saturday, near the Italian embassy, local media said.
The bombing took place in downtown Tripoli, where several embassy buildings are located, most of which are empty.
Some media reports said the explosion killed two people. The explosion caused damages to nearby vehicles and buildings. No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing.
The Italian embassy is the first western embassy to return to Libya after leaving in February, 2015 due to insecurity following violent battles between rival militias in Tripoli.
Forces loyal to the UN-backed government of national accord have recently announced the end of a seven-month fight against IS militants in the city of Sirte.
Libya has been suffering security vacuum and chaos since the fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011. The country is plagued with escalating violence and similar attacks.
