The blast struck before dawn wounding three policemen at the station in the Hadaiq neighbourhood, witnesses said.

Shattered glass and the charred remains of the vehicle remained at the scene.

The Mediterranean city of Benghazi, cradle of the 2011 uprising that toppled dictator Moamer Qadhafi, has witnessed several blasts in recent months.

The attack comes as the country's new authorities try to empower the national army and police but struggle to rein in armed militias born out of the 2011 conflict.