A Libyan militia claims to have taken over the US embassy in Tripoli — but found the building empty, after officials had already been evacuated, and had apparently only taken over a residential annex attached to the embassy itself. The Dawn of Libya group, an umbrella organisation of Islamist militias, said that it had been in control of the compound since last week. But US officials said that the militia had broken into a residential annex, and that the main embassy building has been evacuated and is now being guarded. “To my knowledge & per recent photos the US Embassy Tripoli chancery & compound is now being safeguarded and has been ransacked,” tweeted US ambassador to Libya Safira Deborah. She argued on Twitter with users who claimed to be in the Libyan fighters posted a video on YouTube that appeared to show fighters partying in the compound and jumping into its swimming pool. The US closed its embassy and evacuated staff in July, as fighting intensified between rival militias. Workers at the embassy were taken out of the country by military transport and into neighbouring Tunisia in late July. The embassy had been manned by 230 staff, made up of 150 embassy workers and 80 marines. youtube/embed/dfFo-TVXkpo
Posted on: Sun, 31 Aug 2014 16:12:02 +0000
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