Mystery attacks in Cuba

This item appears on page 21 of the November 2017 issue.

Following several months in which numerous employees of the US Embassy in Havana had been targeted in specific attacks, on Sept. 29 the US Department of State ordered the departure of nonemergency US government embassy employees and their family members from Cuba, and it warned US citizens against traveling to Cuba. 

The governments of the US and Cuba have been unable to identify the source or nature of the attacks or the responsible party, but embassy employees have suffered significant injuries accompanied by a range of physical symptoms, including inner-ear problems, hearing loss, dizziness, headache, fatigue, cognitive issues and difficulty sleeping. Attacks have occurred in US diplomatic residences and in hotels frequented by US citizens.