India withdraws 'non-essential' staff from Tripoli

India has withdrawn five "non-essential" personnel from its embassy in Tripoli amid the continuing violence in Libya, which is facing air strikes by Western countries.

These five were "non-essential" staff in the Indian embassy in Tripoli who were withdrawn after our ambassador to that country had made an assessment to that effect, sources said. They said there are currently about eight diplomatic staff, including Indian Ambassador M Manimekalai who makes daily assessment of the situation. Any further withdrawal will also happen as per the ambassador's suggestion, the sources said.

The joint forces of several Western nations had on Saturday launched an attack on Libya which is already witnessing clashes between anti-government protesters and Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's forces.

Expressing "grave concern" over the continuing "violence, strife and deteriorating humanitarian situation" in Libya, India has called upon all parties to abjure use of force saying the need of the hour was "cessation of armed conflict" in the North African country.

India had also abstained from voting on the United Nation Security Council resolution aimed at halting Muammar Gaddafi's attacks on civilians in suppressing a month-long uprising.