Turkish consulate in Libya's Misrata closed after grenade attack

Turkish consulate in the Libyan city of Misrata closed after a grenade attack on Monday morning, according to a security source.

"A man wearing civilian clothes was monitored by the consulate's surveillance cameras in central Misrata. He attempted to cross the outer walls of the consulate, but failed. Then, he threw a hand grenade inside the consulate's courtyard," the source told Xinhua.

No human or material losses were reported, the source confirmed.

The attack comes a day after a meeting was held between Mohamed Al-Girani, foreign minister of Tripoli's self-proclaimed government, and the Turkish general consul in Misrata. The meeting discussed possibilities of facilitating the Turkish visa procedures for Libyans.

Libya, a major oil producer, has witnessed a frayed political process after its former leader Muammar Gaddafi was toppled during the 2011 political turmoil. The country is plagued with escalating violence and similar attacks.

The country is now deadlocked in a dogfight between the pro-secular army and Islamist militants, which has led to a security vacuum for homegrown extremism to brew.

The UNSMIL has sponsored several political dialogues between the country's political rivals for months in order to end the country's ongoing crisis. Endit