Russia evacuates Libya diplomats from Embassy
Russia has evacuated all of its diplomats and their families from Libya a day after a mob attack on the Russian Embassy there.
Moscow said none of the embassy staff was hurt in Wednesday’s attack, which came in response to the death of a Libyan air force officer, who was allegedly killed by a Russian woman.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said in a statement that it decided to evacuate after Libya’s foreign minister told the Russian ambassador that Libya was unable to protect the embassy.
Mr Lukashevich added that all the embassy workers and their families safely crossed the border into Tunisia on Thursday.
In the attack, an armed mob has broken into the embassy compound in the capital of Tripoli, climbing over walls, breaking down a metal gate and shooting in the air. One of the attackers was killed by the random gunfire, and four more were wounded.
Russia said none of the embassy staff were wounded.
The violence briefly raised fears of a repeat of last year’s deadly attack on a US compound in the eastern city of Benghazi, in which the US ambassador and three other Americans were killed.
In that instance, on the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terror attack, militants fired mortars at the consulate, surrounded it and set it on fire.
A Libyan official said Wednesday’s attackers took down the Russian flag that was hanging from the balcony of one of the buildings. But they did not enter the embassy buildings, he added.
