As the situation in post-Gaddafi Libya continues to deteriorate, Islamist “militias” that seized different portions of Benghazi in the lead up to the September 11, 2012 terrorist attacks that killed four Americans are now establishing a presence in Tripoli.
The situation has gotten so bad that the UK has announced “it will withdraw some of its embassy staff from Tripoli.”
The UK Foreign Office cites “political uncertainty” as the reason for pulling various embassy staff out. This uncertainty is exemplified by reports that “armed militias have recently been blocking access to ministry buildings to push their political demands.”
The U.S. State Department is following suit. On May 9, they issued a travel warning for Libya that includes Tripoli. The warning says American citizens need to limit travel to Tripoli for all but “essential” reasons.
The State Dept’s warning also indicates “consular services” will be limited in Tripoli, leading some to believe the U.S. is also pulling at least some of their embassy staff out of the city.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.