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Turkish ferry evacuates 1,356 foreigners from Misrata
Turkish ship Ankara arrived at the port of the besieged Libyan city of Misrata on Wednesday and evacuated 1,356 people from 13 different countries, the Turkish Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday.
Misrata, Libya’s third-largest city and the insurgents’ last major stronghold in the west of the country, has been under siege by pro-Gaddafi troops for longer than seven weeks.
The Ankara was also expected to stop at the Benghazi port later on Thursday and leave passengers at the port, Foreign Ministry spokesman Selçuk Ünal told reporters at a press briefing on Thursday. The passengers are from African and Middle Eastern countries, he noted in response to a question.
Separately, a ship with humanitarian aid from the Turkish Red Crescent Society (Kızılay) is supposed to reach Misrata port over the weekend, Ünal added. Humanitarian aid for the people of the North African country is Ankara’s priority after having ensured the safety of Turkish citizens following a huge evacuation operation. Earlier this month, the Ankara arrived in Turkey following the rescue of hundreds of wounded Libyans and their families from Misrata and rebel stronghold Benghazi.
When asked about Turkey’s possible response if the United Nations were to ask to send land troops to Libya, Ünal declined to comment on a hypothetical situation.
No official proposal on this issue has come so far, Ünal said, while reiterating that Turkey’s priority regarding Libya was achieving an end to the bloodshed and full implementation of the UN resolution for Libya. In response to a question, the spokesman said the Ankara and its crew have not encountered any “harassment” at Misrata port.
Ankara ferry evacuates 1,356 foreigners from Misrata
Turkish ship Ankara arrived at the port of the besieged Libyan city of Misrata on Wednesday and evacuated 1,356 people from 13 different countries, the Turkish Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday.
Misrata, Libya’s third-largest city and the insurgents’ last major stronghold in the west of the country, has been under siege by pro-Gaddafi troops for longer than seven weeks.
The Ankara was also expected to stop at the Benghazi port later on Thursday and leave passengers at the port, Foreign Ministry spokesman Selçuk Ünal told reporters at a press briefing on Thursday. The passengers are from African and Middle Eastern countries, he noted in response to a question.
Separately, a ship with humanitarian aid from the Turkish Red Crescent Society (Kızılay) is supposed to reach Misrata port over the weekend, Ünal added. Humanitarian aid for the people of the North African country is Ankara’s priority after having ensured the safety of Turkish citizens following a huge evacuation operation. Earlier this month, the Ankara arrived in Turkey following the rescue of hundreds of wounded Libyans and their families from Misrata and rebel stronghold Benghazi.
When asked about Turkey’s possible response if the United Nations were to ask to send land troops to Libya, Ünal declined to comment on a hypothetical situation.
No official proposal on this issue has come so far, Ünal said, while reiterating that Turkey’s priority regarding Libya was achieving an end to the bloodshed and full implementation of the UN resolution for Libya. In response to a question, the spokesman said the Ankara and its crew have not encountered any “harassment” at Misrata port.
Ankara ferry evacuates 1,356 foreigners from Misrata
