Indians Safe, Less Than 10 Percent Want To Return: Libyan Ambassador
NEW DELHI: Less than 10 percent Indians living in Libya have expressed a desire to leave the country and that demonstrates there is "no serious threat to their safety," Libya's ambassador to India Ali Al-Isawi said.
He said that the North African country was "committed" to provide "any kind of help" to Indian nationals, as weeks of inter-militia fighting in Libya's capital Tripoli and Benghazi spiral alarmingly, leaving more than a hundred dead. "Regarding the state of Indians in Libya, I can assure you that they are safe," Al-Isawi said in an interview to IANS.
When asked about India's mission in Tripoli advising Indians to leave the strife torn country, Al-Isawi said the wish of Indian nationals will be respected. "The request for returning back (to India) came from less than 10 percent of total number of Indians living in Libya. It is a clear indication that they are safe. We are working closely with the Indian government to give any facility to Indians, to either ensure their safe stay in Libya or facilitate their departure to India," Al-Isawi stated.
Prior to the civil uprising in Libya in 2011 that brought an end to the rule of Muammar Gaddafi, the number of Indians engaged there was estimated to be more than 18,000. Most of them were evacuated but few hundred Indians continued to serve in Libya even during the revolution period. At present, about 6000 Indians are said to be living there.
READ MORE: India Finishes Fifth At CWG
