Roundup: Italy closes embassy in Tripoli, voices concern over Libyan situation

Italy closed its embassy in Tripoli on Sunday over security concerns, while Italians residing in Libya were evacuated and shipped back to Italy, local reports said.

"Temporary closure of our embassy took place timely and orderly... the closure was necessary because of the deteriorating situation in Libya," Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said in a statement.

Around 70 Italian nationals left Libya on a vessel bound for Sicily, escorted by an Italian navy ship and an air force Predator, LA7 television said.

Last week the foreign ministry advised Italian citizens to temporarily leave conflict-torn Libya as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) appeared to be making headway and security situation there deteriorated.

Gentiloni said the Italian parliament on Thursday will start discussing the situation in Libya. Italy was willing to do its part in Libya under a legal framework established by the United Nations, he added.

In an interview with Il Messaggero newspaper published on Sunday, Italian Defense Minister Roberta Pinotti expressed concern over the growing influence of Islamic fundamentalists in Libya, "just 350 km away."

Pinotti said Italy was ready to lead in Libya a coalition of countries to stop the advance of ISIS "as an intervention has become urgent."

"Given that we sent as many as 5,000 troops to Afghanistan, in a country like Libya that concerns us much more closely and where the risk of deterioration is much more worrying for Italy, our mission can be significant and challenging, even numerically," she said.

Asked whether aspiring terrorists could reach Italy on migrant boats, Pinotti said this possibility cannot be ruled out.

On Sunday, 12 more boats carrying more than 1,000 migrants from Northern African and Middle Eastern countries were rescued south of Lampedusa island, Italy's southernmost point between Sicily and Libya.

The Italian coastal guards was reportedly threatened while reaching one of the boats off the Libyan coast by some armed men who commanded the unarmed Italians to leave them the boat after rescuing the migrants.

The countless arrivals, controlled by human traffickers and often ended in deadly wreckages, have further increased in recent months amid rampant unrest and political instability in Libya, according to local observers.

The government led by Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi last week approved a package of harsh anti-terrorism measures targeting so-called foreign-fighters.

Some 1,800 soldiers will join the 3,000 military personnel already deployed throughout Italy, after at least 15 people have been so far expelled from the country under suspicion of being dangerous to national security. Endit