Pinoy injured in rocket attack in Tripoli, Libya
A Filipino was injured in the rocket attacks in the Libyan capital of Tripoli, the Philippine embassy said on Wednesday as it called on all Filipinos there to leave and "seriously consider repatriation" amid ongoing civil unrest.
Embassy Charge d'Affaires Elmer Cato said Tuesday night’s rocket barrage struck areas where more than 200 Filipinos are located.
The lone Filipino injured in the incident lives in a house hit by one of several rockets that rained on Tripoli before midnight, Cato said on Facebook. He did not provide further details.
"Several residential areas in Tripoli were hit by a rocket barrage a few minutes ago. This is the first time Tripoli proper was targeted since the fighting here began. The explosions were felt by many of our kababayan here in the capital," Cato said. "Our kababayans are strongly advised to stay indoors, move to safer locations, or seriously consider our offer to bring them home."
Since the ouster of former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was subsequently killed, Libya has been plagued by civil unrest and armed hostilities.
The Philippine government on April 8 raised crisis alert level 3 in Libya, urging Filipino workers there to avail of voluntary repatriation due to security concerns.
Crisis level 3 or voluntary repatriation phase is imposed by the Philippine government on countries with deteriorating security condition.
Aside from issuing advisories and constant online engagement with the estimated 1,000 Filipinos in the Libyan capital, Cato said the embassy has been reaching out to Filipinos in churches, hospitals, offices and even houses to convince them to consider getting themselves repatriated.
On Sunday, Cato visited Filipino nurses in two major hospitals in Tripoli—the University of Tripoli Medical Center and the Oil Clinic of the National Oil Company—to check on their situation and to reiterate government’s offer to bring them home.
Although there were no takers, he said "the embassy will not give up and will continue to convince Filipinos to go home just to make sure they are out of harm’s way before fighting reaches the capital."
So far, only 19 Filipinos have expressed their desire to be repatriated while another 49 were evacuated by their employers to safe locations in areas outside the scene of heavy fighting since last week.
Those who wish to leave Libya are advised to contact the embassy to coordinate their repatriation. — MDM, GMA News
A Filipino was injured in the rocket attacks in the Libyan capital of Tripoli, the Philippine embassy said on Wednesday as it called on all Filipinos there to leave and "seriously consider repatriation" amid ongoing civil unrest.
Embassy Charge d'Affaires Elmer Cato said Tuesday night’s rocket barrage struck areas where more than 200 Filipinos are located.
The lone Filipino injured in the incident lives in a house hit by one of several rockets that rained on Tripoli before midnight, Cato said on Facebook. He did not provide further details.
"Several residential areas in Tripoli were hit by a rocket barrage a few minutes ago. This is the first time Tripoli proper was targeted since the fighting here began. The explosions were felt by many of our kababayan here in the capital," Cato said. "Our kababayans are strongly advised to stay indoors, move to safer locations, or seriously consider our offer to bring them home."
Since the ouster of former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was subsequently killed, Libya has been plagued by civil unrest and armed hostilities.
The Philippine government on April 8 raised crisis alert level 3 in Libya, urging Filipino workers there to avail of voluntary repatriation due to security concerns.
Crisis level 3 or voluntary repatriation phase is imposed by the Philippine government on countries with deteriorating security condition.
Aside from issuing advisories and constant online engagement with the estimated 1,000 Filipinos in the Libyan capital, Cato said the embassy has been reaching out to Filipinos in churches, hospitals, offices and even houses to convince them to consider getting themselves repatriated.
On Sunday, Cato visited Filipino nurses in two major hospitals in Tripoli—the University of Tripoli Medical Center and the Oil Clinic of the National Oil Company—to check on their situation and to reiterate government’s offer to bring them home.
Although there were no takers, he said "the embassy will not give up and will continue to convince Filipinos to go home just to make sure they are out of harm’s way before fighting reaches the capital."
So far, only 19 Filipinos have expressed their desire to be repatriated while another 49 were evacuated by their employers to safe locations in areas outside the scene of heavy fighting since last week.
Those who wish to leave Libya are advised to contact the embassy to coordinate their repatriation. — MDM, GMA News
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