Gunmen attack Russian embassy in Tripoli, 1 Libyan killed

Dozens of angry protesters tried to storm Russia's embassy in Tripoli on Wednesday after reports that a Russian woman had killed a Libyan army officer, witnesses said.

One of the attackers was killed by the gunfire, and four more were wounded, Libyan officials told the Associated Press.

The sound of gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades could be heard around the embassy, Al Arabiya’s correspondent added.

Russia's Foreign Ministry confirmed the attack saying none of its staff was injured.

Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Ekho Moskvy radio the attackers fired at the embassy in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, and tried to break into its grounds.

She said that according to preliminary information no one among the embassy personnel was wounded.

Libyan officials said they believed the break-in was in response to the death of a Libyan air force pilot, who they said was killed by a Russian woman.

Wednesday's attackers took down the Russian flag that was hanging from the balcony of one of the buildings, an official who spoke on condition of anonymity told AP.

The attack comes two days after conflicting reports emerged about the circumstances of the murder of an army officer in the Souk Juma district of Tripoli, according to AFP.

Some sources said a Russian woman had killed the officer for his role in the 2011 revolt against the regime of late dictator Moamer Qaddafi.

Others said the woman was the wife of the slain man and that the motive for the killing was a marital dispute.