Seven Britons evacuated by ship from Libya by France, which takes 40 of its nationals out as lawlessness spreads throughout the country
- France temporarily closes its embassy in Libya and evacuates nationals
- Diplomatic activities are due to continue to be conducted from Paris for now
- At least 75 bodies found in Benghazi after two days of fighting in which Islamist fighters and allied militiamen overran an army base
- Rival militias fighting for control of Tripoli airport agree to temporary ceasefire to allow firefighters to try to control a huge blaze at fuel depot
- Libyan lawmaker and former prime minister was abducted from his home in Tripoli but released hours later, a Libyan security official has said
A group of British nationals have been evacuated from Libya as unrest spreads through the north African country, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has said.
It is believed seven Britons left the capital, Tripoli, today on board a French naval vessel.
The French government is reported to have evacuated 40 French nationals from Libya, including the ambassador, and temporarily closed its embassy.
An FCO spokesman said: 'A small group of British nationals left Tripoli this morning on board a French frigate.
'Our advice remains that British nationals should leave by commercial means still available. We are monitoring the situation and keeping our advice under constant review.'
Members of the French Navy are seen alongside civilians at the naval base in Tripoli during the evacuation from Libya of French and British citizens
Since the overthrow in 2011 of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi by rebels supported by British and French air strikes, the north African country has descended into a state of lawlessness as rival militias struggle for power and wealth.
An FCO spokesman added: 'The UK Government has changed its travel advice to reflect the ongoing security situation and increase in violence, especially in Tripoli and Benghazi. We are advising "against all travel to Libya".
'In light of travel restrictions in and around Tripoli, numbers of staff at the embassy have been reduced. A number of staff departed on Monday (28 July). However, the ambassador and a group of core staff remain in-country and the embassy remains open for core business, including support to the political process and consular assistance.'
France temporarily closed its embassy in Tripolo today, the French Foreign Ministry said, adding that diplomatic activities would continue to be conducted from Paris for now.
'We have taken all necessary measures
to allow those French nationals who so wish to leave the country
temporarily,' the ministry said in a statement, not detailing the number
of nationals involved.
France had on Sunday already called on all French nationals to leave Libya, which in the last two weeks has descended into its deadliest violence since the 2011 war that ousted Gaddafi.
France has temporarily closed its embassy in the country today due to the worsening security situation, the French Foreign Ministry has said
Most Western government have followed the United States and United Nations pulling their diplomats out of the country.
Meanwhile, rival militias fighting for control of Tripoli airport agreed today to a temporary ceasefire to allow firefighters to try to control a huge blaze at a fuel depot hit by a rocket.
Except for sporadic shelling away from the ceasefire zone around the fire near the capital's international airport, today was the quietest day in Tripoli for two weeks, with less smoke seen from the blaze.
For two weeks, two brigades of former rebels, mainly allied to the towns of Zintan and Misrata, have pounded each other's positions in Tripoli with Grad rockets, artillery fire and cannons, turning the south of the capital into a battlefield.
'Many mediators have succeeded in
convincing the militias to stop fighting, at least temporarily,'
government spokesman Ahmed Lamin said. 'They are trying to get them to
the negotiating table, we hope they will agree.'
It was unclear if the blaze at the airport depot that supplies millions of litres of gasoline and gas to the capital Tripoli was under control today.
Members of France's crisis centre check passports at the naval base in Tripoli during the evacuation of French and British citizens
The leader of the Muslim Brotherhood's political arm in Libya says an attack by militias on the capital's airport is a 'legitimate' response to an offensive by a renegade general against Islamists.
The comments by Mohammed Sawan to The Associated Press were a strong show of support for Islamist militias trying to wrest control of the airport from a rival militia.
Sawan said the assault was in response to a months-long offensive by General Khalifa Hifter, who has being trying to crush Islamist militias in Libya, mainly in the eastern city of Benghazi.
At least 75 bodies, mostly soldiers, meanwhile have been found in Benghazi after two days of fighting in which Islamist fighters and allied militiamen overran an army base, the Libyan Red Crescent and medical sources said today.
The Red Crescent found more than 50 bodies inside the base, which special forces abandoned on Tuesday. 'We are trying to get them out of the base,' said Mohammed al-Misrati, from the Red Crescent.
Sources in the city's hospitals said they had received at least 25 other bodies.
A Libyan security official also today said assailants had abducted a lawmaker and former prime minister from his home in Tripoli, but released him hours later.
French Navy frigates FSM Montcalm and FLF Courbet at sea off the coast of Tripoli
It was the latest in a wave of kidnappings and assassinations that have been on the rise in Libya as it descends into chaos and deadly fighting among unruly militias.
The security official said the parliament member, Mustafa Abushagur, returned home safely today after being abducted the night before, Associated Press has reported. It was unclear today who was behind the abduction.
Abushagur holds Libyan and American citizenship. He was the first prime minister to be elected after the 2011 overthrow of dictator Gaddafi but he failed to form a government and was subsequently ousted.
His successor Ali Zidan was briefly kidnapped last year from a Tripoli hotel.
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