Libyan guards killed in US consulate attack

Libyan security guards were killed and wounded trying to defend US ambassador Chris Stevens during the attack in Benghazi in which the US diplomat died, a Libyan UN envoy said Wednesday.

Ibrahim Dabbashi, Libya's deputy UN ambassador, told reporters that up to 10 Libyan security personnel were casualties of the attack on Tuesday. "Some of them have been killed at the start of the attack," he said.

UN Assistant Secretary General Jeffrey Feltman told the UN Security Council he had "seen reports that Libyan security personnel were also killed" in the attack.

Stevens was among four US diplomats killed in Benghazi by a mob who stormed the US consulate after allegedly being angered by a movie mocking Islam.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also hinted at the role played by Libyan guards.

"Heavily armed militants assaulted the compound and set fire to our buildings. American and Libyan security personnel battled the attackers together," Clinton said in Washington.

Dabbashi said he did not have an exact number for the Libyan guards who were hit. He paid an emotional tribute to Stevens, who was sent to Libya as opposition forces battled former dictator Moamer Kadhafi.

"The ambassador was a friend of Libya. He was always shoulder-to-shoulder with us when we had to face murder and destruction during the reign of the despot," the Libyan envoy said.

(AFP)