EU reduces staff presence as “precautionary measure”

Tripoli, 18 November 2013:

The EU border assistance mission, EUBAM, has temporarily reduced its staff in Libya as “a precautionary measure” after . . .[restrict]the recent violent clashes in Tripoli.

The mission, in consultation with Brussels, had decided to move a small number of support staff from Tripoli on a temporary basis, EUBAM said in a statement. “Whilst EU staff have in no way been a target of the violence, the reduction in personnel in Tripoli is taken as a sensible and precautionary measure at this time,” EUBAM said.

It is understood that around ten people have been relocated to another country where they will continue to work remotely. A source close to the mission said that because the security situation in Libya was unpredictable, it made sense to lower the EU’s general profile.

EUBAM said that its work in Libya, with its full operational team, would continue in as normal a way as possible. [/restrict]