US cuts embassy staff in Cuba

The United States is cutting its diplomatic presence in Havana by more than a half and will warn US citizens not to visit Cuba because of targeted attacks that have injured at least 21 US personnel, a senior official said yesterday.

"Until the government of Cuba can assure the United States of the safety of US government personnel in Cuba, our embassy will be reduced to emergency personnel so as to minimize the number of US government personnel at risk of exposure," a senior State Department official told reporters.

"Routine visa operations are suspended indefinitely," said the official.

US and congressional officials told Reuters on Thursday Washington was crafting a plan for a drawdown of staff from the Havana embassy in response to unexplained incidents that have harmed the health of some US diplomats there.

The Cuban government has denied any role. But it has so far said it has been unable to determine the cause.

The symptoms of the 21 US embassy personnel harmed included "hearing loss, dizziness, tinnitus, balance problems, visual complaints, headache, fatigue, cognitive issues and difficulty sleeping," the senior State Department official said.