Overview
Late last night, gunmen attacked and burned the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, killing one member of the U.S. consular staff. Following the outbreak of violence, U.S. Ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens, was evacuated in an attempt to move him to a safer location. As the ambassador and his staff were traveling from the consulate, his vehicle was hit by a rocket propelled grenade killing Stevens and three staff members. The riot broke out in response to a controversial film that portrayed the prophet Mohammed in a negative light. The film was promoted by U.S. Pastor Terry Jones, the same man whose actions triggered the 2010 riots in Afghanistan, after he threatened to burn the Koran. The Libyan Deputy Prime Minister has released a statement condemning the attacks following official statements from the President of the United States and Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton.
Key Points
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A total of five Americans were killed in the violence last night. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and Foreign Service information officer, Sean Smith have been identified as two of the victims.
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There has been no claim of responsibility for the attack. However, initial reports speculate that the culprits may be members of the Islamist militant group Ansar al-Shariah. The group is denying the claim.
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Also yesterday, angry protesters mobbed the U.S. Embassy in Egypt, tearing down an American flag and burning it in the street. The demonstration was also in response to the film.
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Afghanistan has banned YouTube so that the offensive video cannot be viewed.
Implications
The trailer for the film, entitled “Innocence of Muslims” was released in 2011. However, it garnered attention in the Middle East only after it was dubbed into Egyptian Arabic. The delay in response has led to speculation that the riots may have been pre-planned to occur on the eleventh anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The incident demonstrates the capability of small militant groups to carry out attacks. There are likely to be further protests that may lead to violence targeting U.S. interests in the Middle East. This is especially relevant for areas that lack formal political infrastructure. Heavy weapons are easily obtained within Libya, as there is a large supply available following the recent conflict that led to a regime change. In response to the attacks, American officials are working to strengthen security at embassies and consulates throughout the region. U.S. Marines have been deployed to the U.S. Embassy in Tripoli to protect that compound. It is the responsibility of the host country’s law enforcement to prevent violence outside Embassy property.