British diplomat found murdered in Lebanon

A British woman employed at the UK embassy in Lebanon was found murdered, a senior official said on Sunday, adding that the crime did not appear to be political.

“Our first impression is that it’s not politically motivated,” said the Lebanese official, who is involved in the investigation, speaking on condition of anonymity.

He confirmed that the victim’s name was Rebecca Dykes but could not elaborate on the exact circumstances of her death.

A statement from the Foreign Office and the family provided no further details.

“We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Rebecca. We are doing all we can to understand what happened,” the family said in a statement passed on by the Foreign Office.

According to Dykes’ social media profiles, she was employed by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) which also issued a statement following confirmation of her death.

“Our thoughts are with Becky’s family and friends at this very upsetting time,” DFID said, adding that the Foreign Office was working with authorities in Lebanon as the police probe gets underway.

The British Foreign Office said it was in contact with the Lebanese authorities over the incident.

 

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Featured image is screenshot.