DUSHANBE, January 28, 2015, Asia-Plus – Three Tajik have reportedly been killed in a terrorist attack at the Corinthia Hotel in Tripoli, Lybia.
CNN reports that at least 10 people and two attackers were killed in Tuesday”s attack against the luxurious Corinthia Hotel in Tripoli.
Esaam al-Naas, a spokesman for a security division of the Ministry of Interior in Tripoli was quoted as saying that five foreigners — one American, one French citizen, and three people from Tajikistan — were killed in the attack.
The Libyan branch of ISIS claimed responsibility for the attacks, and released photos of the two gunmen, it said had carried out the attacks as Abu Ibraheem Al-Tunsi and Abu Sulaiman Al-Sudani. Their naming convention indicates that the men were of Tunisian and Sudanese origin, respectively.
The spokesman said it appears the attackers were Libyans.
Al-Naas earlier said at least two Libyan security personnel had been killed in the attack and that three gunmen were holed up in the hotel.
An online group that supports ISIS said the attack was carried out in the name of Abu Anas al-Libi.
Al-Libi was an alleged al Qaeda operative accused of involvement in the bombing of U.S. embassies in Africa. He was captured by U.S. special forces in Libya. He died in a U.S. hospital this month.
A spokesman for the Corinthia Group in Malta told CNN there had not been a hostage situation in the hotel, as some reports suggested.
The attack reportedly began when militants detonated a car bomb in the parking lot of the hotel. The gunmen then shot their way into the hotel.
Guests were evacuated to safety, however. The five-star hotel is popular among government officials, some of whom reside there.
A witness to the events told CNN that all roads leading to the Corinthia Hotel had been sealed by security forces.
People were warned to stay away, the witness said, adding that there had been exchanges of gunfire.
