Landmine blast kills 3 in Libya’s Benghazi

By Jihad Nasr

TRIPOLI (AA) – Three people working for Libya's state electricity company were killed in a landmine explosion on Saturday in the eastern city of Benghazi, according to a Libyan spokesman.

The blast took place during maintenance works for electricity lines in Benghazi's western district of Al-Qawarishah, Tariq al-Kharraz, a spokesman for East Libya-based Interior Ministry, told Anadolu Agency.

A fourth worker was injured in the explosion.

Al-Qawarishah had seen deadly clashes between East Libya-based government forces and militants a year ago.

Last month, a Libyan minor was killed in a similar landmine explosion in the city.

Libya has remained dogged by turmoil since 2011, when a bloody NATO-backed uprising led to the ouster and death of long-serving President Muammar Gaddafi after more than four decades in power.

Since then, Libya’s stark political divisions have yielded two rival seats of power -- one in the city of Tobruk and another in Tripoli -- and a host of armed groups of conflicting loyalties.