Washington, May 28 (RHC)-- The United States has advised its citizens in Libya to leave the North African country immediately with the crisis there deepening fast. The U.S. State Department issued the warning on Tuesday in its latest travel advisory for Libya, where militia battles have plunged the country into chaos.

The travel warning said: "Due to security concerns, the Department of State has limited staffing at Embassy Tripoli and is only able to offer very limited emergency services to U.S. citizens in Libya."

According to a statement released by the State Department last week, the U.S. Embassy in Tripoli remained open in spite of an attack launched against militias by a dissident general, Khalifa Haftar.

The precautionary action has been taken in the light of controversy over an attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi in 2012 attack which left four Americans dead, including ambassador Christopher Stevens.

Nearly three years after the overthrow of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, Libya is still grappling with rising insecurity as the country has been witnessing numerous clashes between government forces and rival militia groups.

The former rebels refuse to lay down arms despite efforts by the central government to impose law and order. Thousands of angry Libyan demonstrators have recently taken to the streets in different cities to protest against lack of security across the North African country