The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Wednesday it elevated the alert level in Tripoli and surrounding areas from Three to Four due to increased threats to the safety and security of the more than 1,000 Filipinos there.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. raised the alert level upon the recommendation of the Philippine Embassy in Tripoli which said the current situation on the ground could no longer guarantee safety and security of Filipinos who chose to remain.

Chargé d’Affaires Elmer G. Cato said fighting in the outskirts of Tripoli will soon make it difficult for the Philippine Embassy to respond to urgent requests for assistance.

He said with the declaration of Alert Level Four, the Embassy will redouble its efforts in persuading Filipinos to go home.

The new alert level, which covers only Tripoli and other areas within a 100-kilometer radius from the capital, was raised after a number of Filipinos suddenly found themselves in the middle of fierce fighting on Monday.

It also followed the shelling of several hospitals and residential areas that left at least two Filipinos wounded.

Locsin appealed to Filipinos still in Tripoli to seriously consider repatriation before the situation escalates further.

Locsin also requested the help of families in the Philippines in convincing their loved ones in Tripoli to accept the repatriation offer before it’s too late. DMS