U.S EVACUATES EMBASSY IN HAVANA FOLLOWING STRANGE ATTACKS ON PERSONNEL

HAVANA, Cuba – The United States has ordered immediate evacuation of all personnel in her embassy in Havana, Cuba, following strange terror attacks on staff in the embassy.

In a statement, Secretary of State, Rex W. Tillerson said over the past several months, 21 U.S. Embassy employees have suffered a variety of injuries from attacks of an unknown nature.

“The affected individuals have exhibited a range of physical symptoms, including ear complaints, hearing loss, dizziness, headache, fatigue, cognitive issues, and difficulty sleeping”, he said, adding that investigators have not been able to determine who is responsible or what is causing these attacks.

He said staff in the Embassy will be reduced to emergency personnel in order to minimize the number of diplomats at risk of exposure to harm.

“In conjunction with the ordered departure of our diplomatic personnel, the Department has issued a Travel Warning advising U.S. citizens to avoid travel to Cuba and informing them of our decision to draw down our diplomatic staff”, he said.

He explained that no private U.S. citizens have been affected, but that the attacks are known to have occurred in U.S. diplomatic residences and hotels frequented by U.S. citizens.

“The Department does not have definitive answers on the cause or source of the attacks and is unable to recommend a means to mitigate exposure”, he added. According to him, the decision to reduce the diplomatic presence in Havana was made to ensure the safety of personnel.

“We maintain diplomatic relations with Cuba, and our work in Cuba continues to be guided by the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States. Cuba has told us it will continue to investigate these attacks and we will continue to cooperate with them in this effort”, he said.

Rex Tillerson said the health, safety, and well-being of the Embassy community is “our greatest concern. We will continue to aggressively investigate these attacks until the matter is resolved”, he said.

See full statement below.

On September 29, the Department ordered the departure of non-emergency personnel assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Havana, as well as all family members. Until the Government of Cuba can ensure the safety of our diplomats in Cuba, our Embassy will be reduced to emergency personnel in order to minimize the number of diplomats at risk of exposure to harm.

In conjunction with the ordered departure of our diplomatic personnel, the Department has issued a Travel Warning advising U.S. citizens to avoid travel to Cuba and informing them of our decision to draw down our diplomatic staff. We have no reports that private U.S. citizens have been affected, but the attacks are known to have occurred in U.S. diplomatic residences and hotels frequented by U.S. citizens. The Department does not have definitive answers on the cause or source of the attacks and is unable to recommend a means to mitigate exposure.

The decision to reduce our diplomatic presence in Havana was made to ensure the safety of our personnel. We maintain diplomatic relations with Cuba, and our work in Cuba continues to be guided by the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States. Cuba has told us it will continue to investigate these attacks and we will continue to cooperate with them in this effort.

The health, safety, and well-being of our Embassy community is our greatest concern. We will continue to aggressively investigate these attacks until the matter is resolved.