Heres what you should know about the deadly attack in Benghazi

MARGARET WARNER:

This fiery scene at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, took place three years ago, but it sparked a political war of words that's still being fought.

Thirteen months after the fall of dictator Moammar Gadhafi, Benghazi was lawless and awash with guns. The U.S. mission was protected by one local militia and unarmed contractor guards. On the anniversary of 9/11, around 9:40 p.m., heavily armed men stormed the compound, opening fire and torching some of its buildings.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testifies before a House committee on the events surrounding the 2012 terrorist attacks in Benghazi, Libya, scheduled for 10 a.m. EDT Thursday, Oct. 22. Watch a live stream above.

Hours later, a CIA annex less than a mile away came under mortar attack. U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens died in the main compound, along with Foreign Service officer Sean Smith, apparently of smoke inhalation. Two contractors, ex-Navy SEALs Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty, died at the annex.

Then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said U.S. commanders had no intelligence that an attack was coming on the Benghazi mission, and U.S. forces were too far away to help when it did. LEON PANETTA, Former Secretary of Defense: Frankly, without an adequate warning, there wasn't enough time, given the speed of the attack, for armed military assets to respond.

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