WASHINGTON The State Department on Tuesday told U.S. citizens in Libya to leave immediately, warning that the security situation in the country was "unpredictable and unstable." 
 
 "The Department of State warns U.S. citizens against all travel to Libya and recommends that U.S. citizens currently in Libya depart immediately," the State Department said in a new travel warning. 
 
 "Because of the presumption that foreigners, especially U.S. citizens, in Libya may be associated with the U.S. government or U.S. NGO's, travelers should be aware that they may be targeted for kidnapping, violent attacks, or death. U.S. citizens currently in Libya should exercise extreme caution and depart immediately," it said. 
 
 "The security situation in Libya remains unpredictable and unstable," the warning added. 
 
 The last travel warning on Dec. 12 strongly advised against all but essential travel to Tripoli and against traveling outside the capital. 
 
 The warning followed an attack on Libya's parliament, the General National Congress, on May 18 by armed groups, and came as the leader of Islamist militant group Ansar al-Sharia in Libya's Benghazi city warned the United States on Tuesday against interfering in the country's affairs. 
 
 Ansar al-Sharia is listed in the United States as a foreign terrorist organization and is accused of orchestrating the 2012 attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi in which U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans died. 
 
 Mohamed Zahawi, who heads the Benghazi brigade of Ansar al-Sharia, accused the United States on Tuesday of backing renegade former General Khalifa Haftar, who started a self-declared campaign to purge Libya of Islamist militants. 
 
 The United States has an embassy in Tripoli but closed its consulate in Benghazi after the 2012 attack. 
 
 In its latest warning, the State Department said it would limit staffing at the embassy in Tripoli and offer only limited emergency services to citizens in Libya. 
 
 (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; Editing by Peter Cooney) 

 Image copyright AFP Image caption The US has warned its citizens to leave the country, saying Libya is "unstable and unpredictable" 
 
 The US state department has warned any American citizens in Libya to leave the country immediately. 
 
 It said the situation in the country remained unpredictable and unstable. 
 
 On Tuesday, the US said it was sending a warship carrying around 1,000 marines to the region for any possible evacuation of American officials. 
 
 Concern over the situation in Libya has increased after a renegade general launched an assault against Islamist militias in Benghazi. 
 
 Gen Khalifa Haftar last week urged the judiciary to appoint a crisis government to oversee new elections after accusing Libya's leaders of "fostering terrorism". 
 
 Image copyright Reuters Image caption Unrest in Libya has worsened in recent weeks after General Haftar vowed to take on Islamist militants 
 
 Dozens of state bodies have pledged their support for Gen Haftar. 
 
 But the government called his assault an "attempted coup" and ordered the arrest of those taking part. 
 
 The unstable situation has led the US to call for its citizens to leave the troubled country as soon as possible. 
 
 "US citizens currently in Libya should exercise extreme caution and depart immediately," the state department said on Tuesday. 
 
 It warned against all but essential travel to Tripoli and against any travel outside the Libyan capital. 
 
 Image copyright Getty Images Image caption A US official said USS Bataan, which carries around 1,000 marines, could deal with any evacuation 
 
 An American defence official told the AFP news agency that one of its warships was also being sent to the region in case US staff needed to be evacuated from Libya. 
 
 The USS Bataan, which carries around 1,000 US Marines and several helicopters, was to be in the area "in a matter of days," the official said, adding that it was a "precautionary" measure. 
 
 The US decision comes amid ongoing controversy over a September 2012 attack on the US consulate in Benghazi in which four Americans, including ambassador Christopher Stevens, were killed. 
 
 Gunmen attacked the home of Libya's new prime minister on Tuesday. 
 
 An aide to Ahmed Maiteg said the prime minister and his family were in the house at the time but escaped unharmed. 
 
 Mr Maiteg, 42, was elected prime minister earlier this month to replace Abdullah al-Thani, who resigned in April following an attack on his family.
– Any Americans still in Libya should get out immediately because of the "unpredictable and unstable" security situation, the State Department warns. After an attack on the country's parliament earlier this month and continued conflict between a renegade general and Islamist militias, the US is poised to evacuate its embassy in Tripoli and a warship carrying around 1,000 Marines has been dispatched to the region, reports the BBC. "Because of the presumption that foreigners, especially US citizens, in Libya may be associated with the US government or US NGOs, travelers should be aware that they may be targeted for kidnapping, violent attacks, or death," the State Department warns. The last such warning, issued in December, warned Americans against non-essential travel to Tripoli and advised strongly against journeying outside the capital, Reuters reports.