US Ambassador Killed During Embassy Violence In Libya | TheBlaze.com

US Ambassador Killed During Embassy Violence In Libya | TheBlaze.com

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Government

Reports: US Ambassador and Three American Embassy Workers Killed by Angry Mob In Libya

• Posted on September 12, 2012 at 6:12am by Mike Opelka

Photo: AFP / Getty Images

Reports are surfacing from foreign press outlets this morning stating that the U.S. Ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens and three staffers have been killed during an outbreak of violence at the American embassy complex.
Mr. Stevens has a ten-year history of working in the region and was appointed to his post in Libya in May of this year after successfully working with the rebels during the conflict that removed Col. Gadhafi from power. Stevens’ State Department bio reads:

John Christopher Stevens, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, served as Special Representative to the Libyan Transitional National Council from March 2011 to November 2011.  Prior to this role, he was the Director of the Office of Multilateral Nuclear and Security Affairs.

Reuters states a Libyan official told the news agency:

“The Libyan ambassador and three staff members were killed when gunmen fired rockets at them.”

CNN anchors are quoting an unnamed source in Benghazi who claims to have witnessed rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) being fired into the complex last night. The source believed the Americans were fleeing the embassy attack when their car was hit by one of the RPGs.

A vehicle (R) and the surround buildings burn after they were set on fire inside the US consulate compound in Benghazi late on September 11, 2012. An armed mob protesting over a film they said offended Islam, attacked the US consulate in Benghazi and set fire to the building, killing one American, witnesses and officials said. Credit: AFP/Getty Images

Al Jazeera News is also reporting that Ambassador Stevens has died, although they have claimed the cause of death to be “smoke inhalation.”
And the Associated Press is also reporting the news:

The U.S. ambassador to Libya and three American members of his staff were killed in the attack on the U.S. consulate in the eastern city of Benghazi by protesters angry over a film that ridiculed Islam’s Prophet Muhammad, Libyan officials said Wednesday.
They said Ambassador Chris Stevens was killed Tuesday night when he and a group of embassy employees went to the consulate to try to evacuate staff as the building came under attack by a mob [with] guns and rocket propelled grenades.
The three Libyan officials who confirmed the deaths were deputy interior minister for eastern Libya Wanis al-Sharaf; Benghazi security chief Abdel-Basit Haroun; and Benghazi city council and security official Ahmed Bousinia.
The State Department said Tuesday that one American was killed in the attack. It has not confirmed the other deaths.
The attack on the Benghazi consulate took place as hundreds of protesters in neighboring Egypt scaled the walls of the U.S. Embassy in Cairo and tore down and replaced the American flag with a black Islamic banner.

The U.S. State Department has not yet released the names of the three staffers who were also reportedly killed during the attack in Benghazi.
This is a breaking story. Updates will be added.