Special to WorldTribune.com

CAIRO — Libyan militias have for the third time in June targeted foreign diplomats as part
of the battle with the interim government in Tripoli.

On June 18, a Libyan militia attacked the Tunisian consulate in
Benghazi. Officials said Libyan security forces responded and drove away the
attackers, identified as the Partisans of Sharia.

“The Tunisians had been under threat for several days before the
attack,” the official said.

This marked the third militia strike on foreign missions in June. On June 6, a bomb exploded outside the U.S. consulate, and on June 11 a convoy with the British ambassador to Libya was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade.

Western diplomatic sources have confirmed the spate of attacks, which they said was expected to grow worse. The sources said several Western governments were waiting for national elections on July 7 in hope that a strong government would end the militia presence.

Officials said at least two Libyan militias were targeting Western and
Arab diplomats in Benghazi and Tripoli. The eastern city of Benghazi has contained the bulk of the foreign diplomatic corps since the revolt against Libyan Col. Moammar Gadhafi in 2011.

“We see a pattern in which the militias are threatening foreign
diplomats to win concessions from the government,” an official said.

Several of the militias, particularly in eastern and southern Libya,
have formed ties with Al Qaida-aligned groups in such countries as Algeria,
Morocco and Tunisia. On June 18, Tunis announced the arrest of more than 140
so-called Salafists on charges of attacking police and government buildings
during the previous week.

  Al Qaida, Benghazi attacks, British ambassador to Libya convoy attacked, Libyan militia mount 3rd attack this month on foreign missions, Partisans of Sharia, Salafists, Western