The United States will temporarily base its ambassador to Libya in Malta after evacuating the Tripoli embassy last week.

Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes told CNN that US ambassador Deborah Jones would be based in Malta to continue working with the Libyans.

The US embassy in Malta yesterday confirmed the development but said no date had been set yet for Ms Jones’s arrival.

About 150 Americans were evacuated from the US embassy as violence in the vicinity intensified. They left in a convoy of cars to Tunisia under military air cover.

The US embassy is situated in the south of the capital close to the international airport where rival militia groups have fought for control over the past two weeks.

The US and UK governments have warned their citizens to leave Libya amid growing instability. The UK embassy is operating on reduced staff complement.

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