Washington, Sep 12 (IANS) US President Barack Obama Wednesday condemned the killing of the American ambassador to Libya, and said he was a "courageous and exemplary representative" of the country.
Christopher Stevens was killed in a rocket attack by unidentified armed men who stormed the American consulate in the eastern city of Benghazi late Tuesday. The armed men protested over a US-produced film said to insult Prophet Muhammad, BBC reported.
Al Jazeera TV said Stevens, who was on a short trip to Benghazi, Libya's second biggest city, died of suffocation as smoke engulfed the consulate after the mob set it on fire.
"Chris was a courageous and exemplary representative of the United States," the Washington Post quoted Obama as saying in the statement about the ambassador.
"Throughout the Libyan revolution, he selflessly served our country and the Libyan people at our mission in Benghazi. As ambassador in Tripoli, he has supported Libya's transition to democracy."
"His legacy will endure wherever human beings reach for liberty and justice. I am profoundly grateful for his service to my administration, and deeply saddened by this loss," Obama said.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton condemned the attack "in the strongest terms".
She said she had called Libyan President Mohamed Yusuf al-Magariaf "to coordinate additional support to protect Americans in Libya".
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