TRIPOLI: Libya’s interior minister escaped unscathed from an assassination attempt in Tripoli on Wednesday, the official LANA news agency reported.

Seddik Abdelkarim, who is also deputy prime minister, was in his car when “unknown gunmen fired a barrage of bullets” at the vehicle, the agency said, adding nobody was killed or wounded in the attack.

Wednesday’s attack was confirmed by Al-Bahlul Al-Sid, the head of the minister’s office, who did not provide further details. The office later said Abdelkarim would give a news conference in the coming hours. The minister was on his way to Parliament when his car was fired upon.

The attack came less than three weeks after the assassination of Deputy Industry Minister Hassan Al-Droui.

In Tripoli, meanwhile, independent Prime Minister Ali Zeidan has faced criticism from hard-line MPs demanding his resignation, accusing him of failing to improve security.

The Justice and Construction Party, the political arm of Libya’s Muslim Brotherhood, has failed to muster the 120 votes in the 194-member General National Congress needed to censure the premier, but the wrangling is seen as further undermining his authority.