Weapon cache blast kills over 40 in Libya

An explosion at a weapons cache in a southern air base has left at least 40 dead, and an attack on a checkpoint in an eastern city killed at least four people.

The two incidents took place Thursday, Libyan officials said. In the southern town of Barek al-Shati, they said a storeroom housing tank ammunition at an air base exploded, killing 10 and wounding 20. A security official told Reuters that a group of 43 locals and Africans stole into the base to loot ammunition.

According to Reuters, those figures shot up to 40 killed overnight, and the news agency quoted an official saying casualties could continue to increase as the depot was still alight and others might be trapped inside.

In Benghazi, officials said gunmen attacked a checkpoint manned by marines, killing three and wounding three. Another soldier was shot dead in a separate incident.

The latest bout of violence comes as Libya’s prime minister warned that the country is on the verge of an economic crisis. Ali Zidan said that since opponents to the government seized oil and gas facilities five months ago, state income from energy exports dropped approximately 80 percent. The prime minister warned that Libya may not be able to meet its debts.