US slashing of embassy staff will affect ties

Cuba on Friday slammed as "hasty" a US decision to withdraw more than half of its embassy staff from Havana due to mysterious "attacks," and warned the move would affect ties.

"We consider the decision announced by the US government today, through the State Department, to be hasty, and it will affect bilateral relations," said the head of North American affairs at Cuba's foreign ministry, Josefina Vidal, quoted on state television.

The attacks of an unknown nature have targeted at least 21 US embassy staff in Havana over the past few months.