India withdraws "non-essential" personnel from Tripoli mission

New Delhi, Mar 22 (PTI) India has withdrawn five
"non-essential" personnel from its Embassy in Tripoli amidst
the continuing violence in Libya which is facing air strikes
by Western countries.
These five were "non-essential" staff in the Indian
Embassy in Tripoli who were withdrawn after our Ambassador to
that country had made an assessment to that effect, sources
here said.
They said there are currently about eight diplomatic
staff, including Indian Ambassador M Manimekalai who makes
daily assessment of the situation.
Any further withdrawal will also happen as per the
Ambassador's suggestion, the sources said.
The joint forces of several Western nations had
Saturday launched an attack on Libya which is already
witnessing clashes between anti-government protesters and
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's forces.
Expressing "grave concern" over the continuing
"violence, strife and deteriorating humanitarian situation" in
Libya, India has called upon all parties to abjure use of
force saying the need of the hour was "cessation of armed
conflict" in the North African country.
India had also abstained from voting on the UNSC
resolution aimed at halting Muammar Gaddafi's attacks on
civilians in suppressing a month-long uprising.