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Russian diplomats return to Libya after evacuation

The Russian embassy was evacuated from Tripoli after the October 2 incident

TUNIS, December 08, 21:06 /ITAR-TASS/. A plane with Russian diplomats, who were evacuated from Tripoli in early October, has landed at the Tripoli airport. Nine Russian diplomats will be accommodated at a local hotel.

Earlier in December, Libyan Foreign Minister Muhammad Abdelaziz told the Voice of Russia radio station that his country was ready for the return of the Russian embassy. “The sitation has calmed down,” he said and promised to accommodate Russian diplomats in a hotel and provide additional guards.

The Russian embassy was evacuated from Tripoli after the October 2 incident, when it came under attack provoked by the murder of a Libyan officer committed by Russian citizen Ekaterina Ustyuzhaninova on October 1. The assaulters broke into the territory of the Russian embassy seeking to avenge the man’s murder. Local army units forced the attackers out. No one was hurt.

Following this attack, the Libyan side said it could not guarantee safety of Russian diplomats, and it was decided to evacuate them from the country. On October 3, officers of the Russian embassy and consulate and their families arrived in neighbouring Tunisia, from where they took a plane for Moscow. Some diplomats stayed in Tunis to maintain working contacts with the Libyan side.