Militants attacked Tripoli's airport on Friday and killed three security personnel, a Libyan official said, in an assault claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group. "An armed group carried out an attack this morning on the prison located on the Mitiga air base, to try to free the detainees," the airport security official said. "First there was an explosion... and then a clash with automatic weapons," he said, adding that at least eight attackers died.
An AFP journalist who was at the airport heard a blast followed by gunfire. IS later claimed the attack on Twitter, saying the operation was aimed at releasing "detained Muslims who are undergoing torture" at the facility. Four militants - a Moroccan, a Tunisian and two Sudanese - died in the attack after having killed or wounded several guards inside the prison, the group said. Flights were unaffected by the violence at what is the only airport still functioning in the militia-held city.
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