TRIPOLI

A security guard sustained minor injuries Saturday after a bomb went off near the Algerian embassy in Libyan capital Tripoli, which was vacant at the time, a security source said.

"Preliminary reports indicate that a bomb was planted last night in a security building next to the Algerian embassy in Tripoli and was detonated this morning," a security source who requested anonymity told The Anadolu Agency.

An eyewitness told AA that a security guard suffered minor wounds from shrapnel, and that the embassy building was not damaged from the bombing.

No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing.

An Algerian security source said that the embassy was vacant at the time of the bombing, noting that the diplomatic staff had already returned home months ago due to the growing insecurity in the country.

Last May, the Algerian Foreign Ministry announced the closure of its embassy and consulate in Tripoli, citing the deteriorating security situation in Libya.

Last year, several diplomatic missions in Libya were targeted by similar attacks, including the Egyptian and Emirati embassies.

Libya has been dogged by political instability since the 2011 ouster and death of long-ruling strongman Muammar Gaddafi.

Ever since, rival militias have frequently locked horns, often bringing violence to the country's main cities, especially capital Tripoli and Benghazi.