Libya’s Interior Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Sadiq Abdulkarim has survived an assassination attempt in the Libyan capital.

Abdulkarim was about to enter the Interior Ministry building in Tripoli when gunmen opened fire on him, according to Reuters news agency.

The incident is the latest violent attack on members of the Libyan government. On 11 January, Hassan al-Darole, the Deputy Prime Minister of Industry was shot dead in the central city of Sirte.

Diplomatic staff have also been targeted. On 27 January, five Egyptian diplomats were released, after being held hostage by the Libyan Revolutionaries Operation Room, a militant organisation, which had previously kidnapped Prime Minister Ali Zeidan in October.