Car bomb explosion outside luxurious hotel in Libyan capital

In this image made from video posted by a Libyan blogger, the Cortinthia Hotel is seen under attack in Tripoli, Libya, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015. Gunmen stormed the luxury hotel in the Libyan capital of Tripoli on Tuesday, killing several foreigners and guards, officials said. The attack, which included a car bombing, struck the hotel, which sits along the Mediterranean Sea. The blogger, @AliTweel, captured the moments shortly after the blast, when flames rose up from outside the hotel, appearing to be from the aftermath of the car bomb. (AP Photo/ @AliTweel via AP video) (The Associated Press)

TRIPOLI, Libya – A Libyan security official says a car bomb exploded outside a luxurious hotel in the capital Tripoli.

The official says the bomb exploded outside the Corinthia hotel early Tuesday morning, rocking Tripoli's old city.

The official provided no further information. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.

Tripoli has been hit with series of car bombs and shooting incidents. Most recently a guard was killed in a shootout outside the UN headquarters.

Since the ouster and killing of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, the country has been torn among competing militias and tribes vying for power. Libya's post-Gadhafi transition has collapsed, with two rival governments and parliaments — each backed by different militias — ruling in the country's eastern and western regions.