US State Department orders diplomats out of Lebanon

Iran Press TV

Fri Sep 6, 2013 3:12PM GMT

The US State Department on Friday ordered non- emergency embassy staff in the Lebanese capital Beirut to leave the country amid security concerns due to a possible US-led military strike on neighboring Syria.

The State Department warned Americans to avoid all travel to Lebanon due to what it described as the high risk of violence around Lebanon?s border with Syria.

"The potential in Lebanon for a spontaneous upsurge in violence remains," the department said.

"The ongoing conflict in Syria has also resulted in numerous security incidents between the border regions between Lebanon and Syria and coincides with an increasing number of security incidents around the country."

The department also cautioned that "the ability of US government personnel to reach travelers or provide emergency services may be severely limited."

The warning comes as US President Barack Obama has been struggling to win support for a military action against the Syrian government both in and outside the US.

During the Group of 20 summit in Saint Petersburg Obama ignored global leaders’ concerns over his plan to launch a military strike on Syria without a UN mandate.

Obama’s insistence on a military option on Syria comes as UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon warned against "further militarization of the conflict" during a humanitarian meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit on Friday.

HM/SS/AHT/DT