The NTC has apologised to Russia for attack by protestors against its embassy in Tripoli on Sunday.
Following the Russian and Chinese veto of the Arab League-sponsored Security Council vote condemning Syria’s violent crackdown on protests, large numbers of demonstrators, estimated at several thousand, attacked the Russian embassy in the city, tearing down its flag and destroying communications equipment and CCTV cameras. The demonstrators included both Syrian supporters of the Syrian National Council living in Libya and Libyan sympathisers.
Some of the demonstrators made it up onto the embassy roof, damaging the equipment and replacing the Russian flag with that of the Syrian uprising. One of the group, Anas Al Khalid, a Libya-based member of the opposition Syrian National Council, insisted that the attackers had used no violence. The Russian foreign ministry also said in a statement that no one, including Russian diplomats, was injured in the attack.
On Friday, Syrian activists took over the Syrian embassy in Tripoli which they still occupy. However, in this second attack, Libyan police and troops, backed up by Russian security men, were able to clear the building after several hours. A strong police presence was evident outside the building last night.
The protestors said they also wanted to attack the Chinese embassy. A Chinese government trade delegation is currently in Libya for talks about reactivating Chinese construction contracts. [/restrict]
