Armed gunmen invaded the U.S. consulate in Benghazi setting it on fire and blaming America for a film they claimed to be offensive to Prophet Mohammad.
The assailants ambushed the consulate in a region where an uprising that led to the ousting and killing of former President Mummar Gaddafi last year started.
Libya’s Deputy Interior Minister Wanis Al Sharif said that ambassador Stevens was killed in the assault under unclear circumstances since the embassy staff had been rushed to a safe house after the uprising.
Minister Sharif said that the safe house where the embassy staffs were rushed was a secret place and did not understand how the assailants traced them.
"It was supposed to be a secret place and we were surprised the armed groups knew about it. There was shooting," Sharif said.
In a report by Reuters News Agency, an evacuation plane with U.S. commandos arrived from Libya’s capital Tripoli arrived in Benghazi to evacuate the staff but the damage had already occurred.
Over 17 other people were left with injuries after the attacks were conducted by the gunmen.
The attack strained the diplomatic relations between the United States of America and the North African state.
President Barack Obama condemned the killing of the US envoy and three other staff members calling the incident an outrageous attack.
Obama ordered an immediate step up of security at U.S. diplomatic post worldwide.
"I have directed my administration to provide all necessary resources to support the security of our personnel in Libya and to increase security at our diplomatic posts around the globe," read a statement from Obama.
Obama said that the killed embassy staff “exemplified America's commitment to freedom, justice and partnership with nations and people around the globe and stand in stark contrast to those who callously took their lives.”
The attack raised questions on the state of affairs between the post-Ghaddafi Libya and America diplomatic relations and whether more protests might erupt in the highly volatile Islamic nation.
The film that led to the uprising was promoted by a U.S. pastor and portrayed Mohammad as a fool, a philanderer and a religious fake.
In one of the clips posted on YouTube, Mohammad was shown in an apparent sex act with a woman, wrote Reuters.
Hillary Clinton, the U.S. Secretary of State described the attack as work of a "small and savage group" not the government of Libya and its people.
A 17-year-old Hamam who claimed to have taken part in the attacks told Reuters that they shot at the diplomats using guns while another group hurled hand-made bombs over the fence and set the building on fire.
"There was some Libyan security for the embassy outside but when the hand-made bombs went off they ran off and left," said Hamam.
The attacks were said to have been conducted by Al Qaeda linked Islamist group.
Posted by Koome Kimonye.
