WASHINGTON — A special House committee investigating the deadly 2012 attacks on American facilities in Benghazi, Libya, has held closed-door meetings with officials from the State and Justice departments.

The panel's chairman, Republican congressman Trey Gowdy of South Carolina, says the State Department provided new information to the committee and answered questions focused on ensuring access to first-hand accounts from those on the ground during the attacks.

Gowdy says the committee also had a separate session with the Justice Department regarding document production and potential witnesses related to the committee's ongoing probe.

Gowdy says in a statement that while much of the committee's work will be done in classified settings, he still plans to hold more public hearings. The committee conducted two public hearings last year.