TRIPOLI, Libya — In the latest sign of Libya’s descent into chaos, gunmen stormed a luxury hotel used by diplomats and businessmen in the capital on Tuesday, killing 10 people, including an American, a French citizen and three people from Asia.
Two attackers were killed after an hours-long standoff punctuated by a car bomb that exploded in the parking lot of the seaside Corinthia Hotel. It was unclear if other gunmen were involved in the attack, which also killed five Libyan guards.
In Twitter posts and a statement on social media, a Tripoli affiliate of the Islamic State terrorist group was said to be behind the attack, but there was little evidence to back up the claims in a country that has been awash in armed extremist groups who would be equally suspect.
The SITE intelligence group reported that the two dead gunmen were identified online as sympathizers of the Islamic State and that the terrorists said the hotel was targeted because it houses diplomatic missions and “crusader” security companies. However, The Associated Press was unable to independently confirm the claims.
A senior U.S. State Department official confirmed that a U.S. citizen was among those killed in Tuesday’s attack but did not provide further details. The CEO of a Virginia security company identified the slain American as David Berry, a contractor with his company.
