U.S. embassy in Libya issues travel warnings over potential attacks
Xinhua, January 21, 2015 Adjust font size:
The U.S. embassy in Libya issued a travel warning on Wednesday for all U.S. nationals due to potential militant attacks in the North African nation.
In the statement, the embassy also urged all U.S. citizens to leave Libya "immediately," saying the situation in the country remains "unpredictable and unstable" as the Libyan authorities still lack control over much of its territories.
It was the third time in less than a year that the embassy issued such travel warnings.
In July, the embassy suspended all operations in Libya and relocated its staff because of the ongoing violence.
Since the removal of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, the country is now deadlocked in turmoil with two rival governments and two parliaments, which are backed by secular and Islamist forces respectively.
The armed forces loyal to the two sides have been engaged in intense battles since last May, leaving at least 1,000 people killed and more than 100,000 displaced.
Although a UN-brokered truce has been reached in the last few days between Libya's rival factions, deadly clashes still go on near Tripoli and Benghazi. Endit