Libya deadly car bomb near Benghazi hospital Published duration 13 May 2013

media caption The BBC's Rana Jawad says the bombing was the "first of its kind", as footage shows wreckage strewn across the scene

A car bomb explosion near a hospital in the Libyan city of Benghazi has killed several people, officials say.

The death toll is unclear. Local officials initially said nine people had been killed. A hospital spokesman later said three bodies had been found.

The blast follows a string of bombings in the eastern city in recent days.

Security remains precarious in Libya since the uprising against long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi, with protests by militias and attacks by Islamists.

'Totally destroyed'

The head of Jalaa hospital told AFP news agency that the hospital had received three bodies, as well as body parts that could belong to other victims.

He also said another nine people had been wounded, three of them critically.

The explosives were placed in a grey Toyota near the hospital, officials and eyewitnesses say.

Libyan Deputy Interior Minister Abdullah Massoud was quoted as saying that the bomb had "totally destroyed a restaurant and seriously damaged nearby buildings".

So far no group has said it carried out Monday's attack in Benghazi, which is regarded as the cradle of the revolution that ousted Gaddafi in 2011.

Angry crowds later gathered at the scene, blaming militants for the bombing and urging the authorities to drive them out of the city.

Many demonstrators chanted "Rise, Benghazi!"

"This is the flesh of our sons, this is what the militias have given us," one of the protesters was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency. "All we need here are the police and the army."

This is the latest in a string of attacks across the country in recent months:

At least three police stations were bombed in Benghazi last week - causing damage but not casualties

In April, a car bomb exploded outside the French embassy in the capital, Tripoli, wounding two French guards and several residents

In September 2012, the US consulate in Benghazi was attacked by armed men, leading to the killing of ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other American officials