The US has pulled out over half of its embassy staff from Cuba after a wave of mysterious attacks that harmed 21 diplomats.
It is assumed that the sonic attacks are targeting US embassy staff after an incident in a hotel where no other guests or hotel staff were affected.
“We don’t know the means, the methods and how these attacks are being carried out,” a senior official said. “There is no way of advising American citizens on mitigating these attacks so we felt we must advise them not to travel to Cuba.”
“Until the government of Cuba can ensure safety of our people, we will be reduced to emergency personnel,” they added.
Almost 60 percent of the US diplomats will be pulled from the capital of Cuba, with the rest remaining to carry out the “core consular and diplomatic functions”.
The Cuban government has denied any involvement in the attack and have said they are willing to fully cooperate with a US investigation.
“We have not ruled out the possibility of a third country as a part of the investigation but that investigation continues,” added the US official.
The attacks left 21 reporting health problems, which ranged from mild brain trauma and deafness to dizziness and nausea.
Denis Bedat, a specialist in bio-electromagnetics said the attacks were sonic in which staff in Havana were targeted by audio waves.
Using an inaudible sound device “is quite plausible from a technical point of view” he said.
“Ultrasonic waves, beyond the acoustic capacity of humans, can be broadcast with an amplifier, and the device does not need to be large, or used inside or outside a house.”
For the moment, the US has not ordered any Cuban diplomats to leave the embassy in the US – something that was considered according to officials.