Tripoli : A car bomb explosion hit the Libyan capital Tripoli late on Saturday, near the Italian embassy, Xinhua news agency reported.

The incident took place in downtown Tripoli where several embassy buildings are located. 

Some media reports said the explosion killed two people.

The explosion damaged nearby vehicles and buildings. No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing.

The Italian embassy is the first Western embassy to return to Libya after leaving in February 2015 due to insecurity following violent battles between rival militias in Tripoli.-Agency