New York Daily News

U.S. zaps Cuba over ‘sonic attacks,’ boots 15 diplos

- The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The United States expelled 15 of Cuba’s diplomats Tuesday to protest its failure to protect Americans from unexplaine­d attacks in Havana, plunging diplomatic ties between the countries to levels unseen in years.

Only days ago, the U.S. and Cuba maintained dozens of diplomats in newly reopened embassies in Havana and Washington, powerful symbols of a warming relationsh­ip between longtime foes. Now both countries are poised to cut their embassies by more than half, as invisible, unexplaine­d attacks threaten delicate ties between the Cold War rivals.

The State Department gave Cuba’s ambassador a list Tuesday of 15 names and ordered them out within one week, officials said, in a move that aims to “ensure equity” between each nation’s embassy staffing.

Last week, the U.S. announced it was withdrawin­g 60% of its own diplomats from Havana because they might be attacked and harmed if they stay.

U.S. officials emphasized they were not accusing Cuba of either culpabilit­y or complicity, merely a failure to stop whatever is happening to Americans working out of the U.S. Embassy in Havana. At least 22 Americans have reported being sickened or harmed.

Investigat­ors are exploring the possibilit­y of a “sonic attack” harming diplomats through sound waves, but have discovered no device and identified no culprit.

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