EMERCOM plane picks up Russian diplomats evacuated from Libya via Tunisia

A plane of the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations (EMERCOM) has picked up Russian diplomats and their families, evacuated from Libya via Tunisia, and is on its way to Moscow. “A specially chartered jet took off from Djerba at 5:30 am, carrying 51 Russian nationals,” EMERCOM spokeswoman Irina Rossius has told Tass. The plane will touch down at Moscow’s Domodedovo airport. Diplomats and their families were evacuated following Wednesday’s armed attack by unknown gunmen on the compound of the embassy in Tripoli. “Libya’s Foreign Minister Abdel Aziz, who visited the embassy, told the Russian ambassador the Libyan side was unable to ensure the necessary protection of the embassy and the security of Russian diplomats, and that is why he made a recommendation that the diplomats and families should rather leave the compound of the diplomatic mission,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said on Thursday.