Britons told to get out of Libya as embassy convoy comes under fire
Britons were warned to get out of Libya yesterday as a British embassy convoy came under fire in an attempted carjacking.
Nobody was injured in the incident but the Foreign Office has warned British nationals in the country to leave due to increased fighting and instability in Tripoli. Between 100 and 300 Brits are currently known to be in Libya.
“Since December 2013, a number of foreign nationals have been shot dead in Libya. Further attacks against foreigners are likely and could be opportunistic.
There is a high threat from terrorism including kidnapping. Since January 2014, a number of foreign nationals have been kidnapped, including in Tripoli,” the Foreign Office said.
The British convoy was on the road between Tripoli and Zawiya.
Britain’s ambassador to Libya Michael Aron tweeted yesterday: “There was an attempted carjacking of a British Embassy convoy this morning. Shots were fired at our vehicles but all safe.”
The UK move comes a day after the US evacuated its embassy in the country due to the escalating clashes between rival militias across the state.
US secretary of state John Kerry said the US had decided to suspend its diplomatic activities in the country due to “the free-wheeling militia violence that is taking place in Tripoli”.
“We have moved people on ground to Tunisia,” he added.