Libya school bombing: grenade explosion wounds 6 students

Originally published on February 6, 2014

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At least six children were injured when an explosion took place during during break time at the Mahd al-Maarefa school in Benghazi, Libya on Wednesday morning (February 5). At least six children were wounded, but no fatalities were reported.

Benghazi's al-Jalaa hospital posted on its Facebook page that it had received the injured students, some of them between the ages of 13 and 17.

According to eyewitnesses, an unknown assailant tossed a hand grenade over a wall and into the school at around 11:00 a.m. local time. One Benghazi resident said a family member had seen a man rip out the grenade pin with his mouth, according to the BBC, after which he escaped in a low black car with tinted windows.

It is not yet known who is responsible for the attack.

The blast damaged part of the building and that some of the victims were seriously wounded.

Reuters reports, "Blasts and assassinations are not uncommon in Benghazi, where security forces are battling Islamist militants tied to the Ansar al-Sharia group, which Washington has listed as a foreign terrorist organization.

"The son of Libya's special forces chief was kidnapped by gunmen in Benghazi a few days ago.

"Two and a half years after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi, Libya's army is struggling to control heavily armed former rebels, militias and militants who once fought against Gaddafi's forces.

"Militia brigades often fight turf wars for control of areas and businesses, and they have refused to disarm."


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