RUSSIA: Russia evacuates embassy staff and their families from Libya a day after gunmen tried to storm its diplomatic mission in Tripoli

Record ID: 354033

  • Title: RUSSIA: Russia evacuates embassy staff and their families from Libya a day after gunmen tried to storm its diplomatic mission in Tripoli
  • Date: 3rd October 2013
  • Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (OCTOBER 3, 2013) (REUTERS) PEOPLE LEAVING RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY BUILDING
  • Embargoed: 18th October 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Russian Federation
  • Country: Russia
  • Topics: Crime,General
  • Reuters ID: LVALS4SSS2A1PV0NPDK1WC7VAIK
  • Story Text: Russia evacuated embassy staff and their families from Libya on Thursday (October 3) a day after gunmen tried to storm its diplomatic mission in Tripoli.
    The attackers, who dispersed when embassy security guards opened fire, had planned to avenge the murder of a Libyan military officer by a Russian woman living in Tripoli, foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said in a video statement on the ministry's website.
    A foreign ministry statement said that staff and their families had taken refuge in safe rooms during the attack. They were evacuated to Tunisia on Thursday and expected to return to Russia on Friday (October 4).
    "During the day on Oct. 3, all embassy staff and members of their families successfully crossed the Tunisian border. Their return to Moscow on a special emergencies ministry flight is planned for tomorrow Oct. 4. Until all of the issues concerning ensuring the safe work of our diplomatic mission in Tripoli are solved, and in order to keep working contacts with the Libyan side, a group of Russian diplomats from senior offices of the Russian embassy in Tripoli will be left in Tunisia on a temporary basis," Lukashevich said.
    Lukashevich said the evacuation was necessary after Libya's foreign minister visited the embassy and said Libyan authorities were no longer able to guarantee the staff's safety.
    "In a telephone conversation with Libyan Foreign Minister (Mohammed) Abdulaziz, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov demanded from the Libyan side - in accordance with its international obligations - to take all of the necessary measures to ensure the proper security of all of the staff of the Russian diplomatic representation and members of their families during their trip to Tunisia, and also to ensure the creation of safe conditions for restoring normal functioning of the Russian embassy in Libya," he said.
    The attack demonstrated the volatility in oil-producing Libya two years after the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi, and the problems faced by his former ally Russia as it tries to put billions of dollars' worth of energy and arms deals back on track.
    Lukashevich cautioned Russians from travelling in Libya.
    "In the current situation, the Russian Foreign Ministry recommends that Russian citizens refrain from trips to LIbya," he said.
    The foreign ministry and the Kremlin were keen to play down political angles of the attack, citing the murder as the cause.
    The Russian woman, who also wounded the officer's mother, had been arrested, the statement said.
    Diplomatic sources in Libya said security guards fired shots to disperse a group of about 60 people who tried to storm the embassy on Wednesday (October 2).
    Russian agencies said the gunmen arrived in two vehicles before opening fire.
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