TRIPOLI, May 12 (Reuters) - British oil company BP said it is withdrawing some non-essential staff from Libya afterBritain's government warned about deteriorating security in thecapital Tripoli.
"We are taking some non-Libyan staff out of the office inTripoli following advice by the foreign office," the spokesmansaid. The foreign office advises against all travel to parts ofLibya.
The British embassy said on Friday it was cutting staff dueto growing unrest in the capital, where armed groups seized twogovernment ministries in late April to press demands onparliament, heightening fears clashes could break out inTripoli.
A deal to hand over the Foreign Ministry to a committee wasreached late on Saturday ending the sieges, but it was not clearwhether the armed groups, who call themselves "revolutionaries",would leave the capital for good.
Almost 2 years after the ouster of Muammar Gaddafi in the2011 war, Libya's new rulers have struggled to impose theirauthority on a country awash with weapons, and swathes of theoil producing desert country remain out of government control.
Despite concerns raised by international oil firms operatingin the OPEC producer, Libya has said foreign security will notbe allowed at its oil fields.
In January, BP said it was reconsidering plans to drill foroil in Libya due to increased worries about safety.
BP (BP.)
