ADDS DETAILS
By Gizem Nisa Cebi
ISTANBUL (AA) - The evacuation of Turkish nationals, who have applied to leave Lebanon, will take place on Wednesday by sea, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.
In a statement, the ministry said two Turkish Navy ships with a total capacity of 2,000 passengers are expected to sail to Beirut on Tuesday.
“Details of the evacuation process will be communicated to our citizens who have contacted the Consulate Call Center,” it said, adding that should the need arise, evacuation would continue in the following days.
“Preparations to meet the needs of our citizens upon their arrival in Türkiye have been completed,” the ministry said.
Türkiye's humanitarian aid will also be transported to Lebanon by the evacuation ships, it added.
Israel has mounted massive airstrikes across Lebanon against what it claims are Hezbollah targets since Sept. 23, killing more than 1,250 people, injuring 3,618 others and displacing more than 1.2 million people.
The aerial campaign was an escalation in yearlong cross-border warfare between Israel and Hezbollah since the start of Israel’s brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip that has killed nearly 42,000 people, mostly women and children, since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7 last year.
Despite international warnings that the Middle East region is on the brink of a regional war amid Israel’s relentless attacks on Gaza and Lebanon, Tel Aviv expanded the conflict by launching a ground invasion into southern Lebanon on Oct. 1.
- 14,000 nationals in Lebanon, 2,500 apply for evacuation
According to ministry sources, 2,500 Turkish nationals in Lebanon have applied for evacuation. All applicants were contacted to confirm their final decision, with plans adjusted based on responses received. Consequently, two ships with a capacity of 2,000 people were deemed sufficient for the first evacuation stage.
The ministry will provide assembly points and departure times via message, with the ships set to depart from Mersin to Beirut on Tuesday.
"Tomorrow, our citizens will board the ships and return to Türkiye. Our relevant institutions have made preparations for their immediate needs, such as accommodation, upon their arrival," the sources said.
The ministry also reported that there are 14,000 registered Turkish nationals currently residing in Lebanon.