Rape and murder of British female diplomat in Lebanon

The British employee was preparing to return home for Christmas. But she was found dead on the outskirts of the Lebanese capital, possibly raped and murdered.

The body of a female British Embassy official in Beirut, Lebanon, was found lying on the side of a highway in the eastern suburbs of the city on the evening of December 16 (local time).

British diplomat Dykes. Photo: PA.

According to the plan, Ms. Rebbeca Dykes, 30 years old, was to fly back to England that day to celebrate Christmas at home.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the diplomat may have been kidnapped, raped and murdered. Lebanese police are investigating the possibility that Dykes was sexually assaulted.

The victim was strangled with a rope, police said.

Ms Dykes was transferred from the UK Department for International Development to work at the British Embassy in Beirut.

Before her death, Dykes worked as a policy manager for both the Department for International Development and the Foreign Office. She had previously worked as an Iraq analyst for the Foreign Office.

The entire staff of the British Embassy in Beirut were deeply shocked by this event./.

According to VOV