The U.S. State Department announced it is pulling all non-essential diplomatic personnel from Cuba following unexplained “health attacks” on 21 of its staff in Havana.
“Until the Government of Cuba can ensure the safety of our diplomats in Cuba, our embassy will be reduced to emergency personnel in order to minimize the number of diplomats at risk of exposure to harm,” Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in a statement released Friday.
“The affected individuals have exhibited a range of physical symptoms, including ear complaints, hearing loss, dizziness, headache, fatigue, cognitive issues, and difficulty sleeping.
“Investigators have been unable to determine who is responsible or what is causing these attacks.”
President Donald Trump told reporters on the South Lawn of the White House in a briefing on Friday, “They did some bad things in Cuba.”
The U.S. has also issued a travel warning advising Americans not to visit Cuba, because some of the attacks on U.S. personnel occurred at hotels in Havana. Others took place at diplomatic residences, according to a report by Global Security.
State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said Thursday in a briefing the Federal Bureau of Investigation is leading the probe.