Plans to withdraw US Embassy staff based in Havana, Cuba are set to be announced, in a move that will see family members and the majority of diplomats brought back to the US for re-assignment.
According to CBS News, two sources confirmed that plans were underway, to see only essential personnel left behind. This is in response to attacks on American diplomats and embassy staff that have baffled authorities.
The sources revealed that an internal memo has already been sent to Secretary of state Rex Tillerson, recommending a major withdrawal of embassy staff, which will leave only a small staff to look after operations at the embassy.
US diplomat's safety
The action comes after a meeting between Tillerson and Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Eduardo Rodriguez Parilla early this week, failed to find a solution to the health attacks.
The memo pointed out, that although Cuba was cooperating in allowing US investigators to find the origin of the attacks, Minister Parilla did not give any assurances the Cuban government was doing enough to protect US diplomats while in Cuba.
The Minister also did not provide Tillerson with any action the Cuban government had taken in the wake of the attacks. Instead, the Minister had a readout that denied the attacks were actually taking place.
Official denial
In the readout, the Cuban government stated that it had never perpetrated any attacks on foreign diplomats or allowed third parties to use its country to launch any attacks.
The readout went further to state that so far, no evidence had been found by the Cuban government, to establish the source of the health disorders the American diplomats had reported about.
While the FBI investigation continues, State Department spokeswoman, Heather Nuart, told CBS News that Tillerson was still reviewing the available options at his disposal on the best way to protect US diplomats and embassy staff in Cuba.
Health attacks
Towards the end of 2016, embassy staff, diplomats, and their families began to experience mysterious symptoms that included nausea, hearing loss, loss of balance and severe headaches.
The attacks were directed at the homes of US embassy staff, which are provided by the Cuban government. So far, the State Department has confirmed a total of 21 medical cases among its staff, with the latest case reported in August.
Since the FBI took over the investigations, there has been no word from the agency, on its preliminary findings.
