Egypt slams deadly attack on election commission in Libya's Tripoli

CAIRO, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Egypt condemned "in the strongest terms" the recent deadly suicide bomb attack that targeted an election commission in the Libyan capital Tripoli, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

At least 14 people were killed in the suicide bombing that targeted the headquarters of Libya's Higher Commission of Elections on Wednesday, while the Islamic State (IS) regional terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attack.

"Egypt condemned in the strongest terms the bombing of the Libyan electoral commission in the capital city of Tripoli, which resulted in a number of deaths and injuries among commission members and innocent citizens," the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in the statement.

It also stressed support for the Libyans in the face of terrorism and at both the political and security levels to help the neighboring country restore security and stability and achieve the desired national consensus.

The attack was also slammed by the Cairo-based Arab League whose chief said in a statement Wednesday "the terrorist aggression will not stop the Libyan people to continue their path toward achieving national reconciliation, building the state institutions and accomplishing the desired constitutional and electoral procedures."

Libya has been engaged in a civil war since the 2011 ouster and death of former leader Muammar Gaddafi, which eventually divided the country into two governments, a UN-backed one in Tripoli and a parliament-backed, military-oriented one in Tobruk.

The government in Tobruk, which is supported by self-proclaimed Libyan national army led by Field Marshall Khalifa Haftar, refuses to recognize the Tripoli-based unity government led by Fayez al-Serraj.

The United Nations, as well as several regional and international powers, seeks for Libya to accomplish its rare presidential and parliamentary elections that have been banned during Gaddafi's 42-year rule. Enditem