Dawn of Libya militia ‘secures’ U.S. compound in Tripoli

An Islamist-allied militia group claimed that it “secured” a U.S. Embassy compound in Libya’s capital, more than a month after American personnel evacuated from the country over ongoing fighting, the Associated Press reported.

An Associated Press journalist walked through the compound Sunday after the Dawn of Libya, an umbrella group of Islamist militias, invited onlookers inside.

A video circulated on social media showed the militia group occupying the U.S. embassy, Al Arabiya News Channel reported Sunday. The video showed men playing in a pool at the compound.

Windows at the compound had been broken, but it appeared most of the equipment there remained untouched.

A commander for the Dawn of Libya group said his forces had entered and been in control of the compound since last week.

On Aug.23, the militia announced it was in control of Tripoli international airport.

Meanwhile, America’s ambassador to Libya said Sunday that the U.S. Embassy in Tripoli is being safeguarded and has not been ransacked.

U.S. Ambassador Deborah Jones said on Twitter that there was no indication the complex, which has been mothballed since staff were evacuated last month, had been damaged.

“To my knowledge & per recent photos the U.S. Embassy Tripoli chancery & compound is now being safeguarded and has not been ransacked,” she said.

Jones, who is in Malta, stressed however that the area depicted in the video “appears to be a residential annex” of the U.S. mission, adding that she “cannot say definitively since not there.”

“Those who have actually visited the embassy know the truth,” she posted.

(With Associated Press)