British media have revealed that a UK diplomatic convoy was the target of an armed attack in Tripoli earlier this month, shedding new light on a previously unreported security breach that raises serious concerns over the safety of foreign missions in Libya.
According to reports published this week, the incident occurred while the convoy was returning from Mitiga International Airport in the Libyan capital.
In the Gurji area, a white Toyota Land Cruiser approached at high speed, rammed into one of the convoy vehicles, and then opened fire. Two embassy cars were damaged, but all personnel escaped unharmed and reached a secure location.
The British Embassy in Tripoli, while confirming the attack, downplayed suggestions that it was a targeted assassination or kidnapping attempt. Nonetheless, it condemned the incident as a serious violation of diplomatic security.
The embassy has formally requested a full explanation from Libyan authorities and demanded that those responsible be brought to justice.
The revelation comes amid a deteriorating security situation in Tripoli, where armed groups operate with relative impunity and the central government struggles to exert control. In recent months, embassies and international agencies have expressed increasing concern about the risk posed by unchecked militias and frequent violent incidents.
This latest attack, although not previously disclosed, fits into a broader pattern of rising insecurity that is now threatening diplomatic engagement and foreign cooperation in Libya. Despite some efforts by the Government of National Unity to stabilize the capital, the presence of competing armed factions continues to challenge any meaningful progress.
