Rising Violence in Tripoli Leads to US Clearing Out Embassy
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iStock/Thinkstock(TRIPOLI, Libya) — Members of the U.S. embassy in Tripoli had to be relocated outside of Libya Saturday due to ongoing violence.
The State Department called the move a “temporary relocation,” pointing to the recent clashes between Libyan militias in the vicinity of the embassy.
U.S. military personnel assisted in the relocation of embassy personnel, all of whom were taken to Tunisia without incident.
The State Department said that the situation in Libya is “unpredictable and unstable,” and that U.S. citizens may be targeted for kidnapping, violent attacks or death.
In addition, all American citizens living or traveling in Libya were urged to leave the country immediately.
Secretary of State John Kerry spoke about the decision to move the embassy on Saturday, noting “freewheeling militia violence.” Still, Kerry said the U.S. is “deeply committed…to the diplomatic process in Libya.”
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