AIRLINK 79.41 Increased By ▲ 1.02 (1.3%)
BOP 5.33 Decreased By ▼ -0.01 (-0.19%)
CNERGY 4.38 Increased By ▲ 0.05 (1.15%)
DFML 33.19 Increased By ▲ 2.32 (7.52%)
DGKC 76.87 Decreased By ▼ -1.64 (-2.09%)
FCCL 20.53 Decreased By ▼ -0.05 (-0.24%)
FFBL 31.40 Decreased By ▼ -0.90 (-2.79%)
FFL 9.85 Decreased By ▼ -0.37 (-3.62%)
GGL 10.25 Decreased By ▼ -0.04 (-0.39%)
HBL 117.93 Decreased By ▼ -0.57 (-0.48%)
HUBC 134.10 Decreased By ▼ -1.00 (-0.74%)
HUMNL 7.00 Increased By ▲ 0.13 (1.89%)
KEL 4.67 Increased By ▲ 0.50 (11.99%)
KOSM 4.74 Increased By ▲ 0.01 (0.21%)
MLCF 37.44 Decreased By ▼ -1.23 (-3.18%)
OGDC 136.70 Increased By ▲ 1.85 (1.37%)
PAEL 23.15 Decreased By ▼ -0.25 (-1.07%)
PIAA 26.55 Decreased By ▼ -0.09 (-0.34%)
PIBTL 7.00 Decreased By ▼ -0.02 (-0.28%)
PPL 113.75 Increased By ▲ 0.30 (0.26%)
PRL 27.52 Decreased By ▼ -0.21 (-0.76%)
PTC 14.75 Increased By ▲ 0.15 (1.03%)
SEARL 57.20 Increased By ▲ 0.70 (1.24%)
SNGP 67.50 Increased By ▲ 1.20 (1.81%)
SSGC 11.09 Increased By ▲ 0.15 (1.37%)
TELE 9.23 Increased By ▲ 0.08 (0.87%)
TPLP 11.56 Decreased By ▼ -0.11 (-0.94%)
TRG 72.10 Increased By ▲ 0.67 (0.94%)
UNITY 24.82 Increased By ▲ 0.31 (1.26%)
WTL 1.40 Increased By ▲ 0.07 (5.26%)
BR100 7,506 Increased By 12.9 (0.17%)
BR30 24,683 Increased By 124.5 (0.51%)
KSE100 71,971 Decreased By -80.5 (-0.11%)
KSE30 23,749 Decreased By -58.8 (-0.25%)

obama-usWASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama on Wednesday condemned the killing of four Americans, including the US ambassador, in an attack on his country's consulate in the Libyan city of Benghazi.

 

The US leader paid tribute to Ambassador Chris Stevens and his slain colleagues, who died when a mob of Libyan protesters, angered by reports of a film deemed insulting to Islam, stormed the US compound.

 

Obama's office said he was due to make a statement in the White House garden, flanked by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, later in the day, but first he issued a strongly worded statement.

 

"I strongly condemn the outrageous attack on our diplomatic facility in Benghazi, which took the lives of four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens," Obama said, in a White House statement.

 

"Right now, the American people have the families of those we lost in our thoughts and prayers," he said.

 

"They exemplified America's commitment to freedom, justice, and partnership with nations and people around the globe, and stand in stark contrast to those who callously took their lives.

 

"I have directed my Administration to provide all necessary resources to support the security of our personnel in Libya, and to increase security at our diplomatic posts around the globe," he added.

 

Protests erupted in Egypt in Libya on Tuesday when Muslim groups learned of a film that had been privately produced in the United States and which set out to lampoon the Prophet Mohammed, the most sacred figure in Islam.

 

In Cairo, demonstrators stormed the embassy compound and tore down the US flag, replacing it with the black banner favored by hardline Islamist groups.

 

In Benghazi, cradle of last year's revolt against former Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi, the protest turned violent and the consulate was set ablaze.

 

"While the United States rejects efforts to denigrate the religious beliefs of others, we must all unequivocally oppose the kind of senseless violence that took the lives of these public servants," Obama said.

 

Clinton also paid tribute to the American dead, and identified a second of them as Sean Smith, a State Department information management officer.

 

The names of the other two officials were being withheld while colleagues attempted to contact their families.

 

"All the Americans we lost in yesterday's attacks made the ultimate sacrifice," Clinton said.

 

"We condemn this vicious and violent attack that took their lives, which they had committed to helping the Libyan people reach for a better future."

 

Stevens was based at the main US embassy in the Libyan capital Tripoli, and it was not immediately clear why he had been visiting the Benghazi consulate nor whether the attackers knew they were targeting the ambassador.

 

The exact cause of Stevens' death was also not immediately revealed. Clinton said simply: "Ambassador Stevens died last night from injuries he sustained in the attack on our office in Benghazi."

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2012

Comments

Comments are closed.