No: 254, 25 July 2014

Our Ministry’s Notification on 23 July 2014, taking into consideration the serious security situation arising from the clashes that begun in Benghazi and spread to the capital Tripoli and recently intesified around the Tripoli Airport, strongly recommended Turkish citizens to leave Libya and requested those who wishing to benefit from the arrangements for overland travel to Tunisia and for repatriation through this country, to apply to the Turkish Embassy in Tripoli until 3 pm on 24 July.

More than 500 of our citizens who applied to our Embassy in Tripoli were taken to the city of Djerba in Tunisia in hired buses on 24 July and returned to Turkey.

Once the necessary arrangements were made for our citizens, the Turkish Embassy in Tripoli temporarily suspended its activities. The core personnel of our Embassy will continue to work in the Turkish Embassy in Tunis for a while until conditions improve in Tripoli. Our mission will resume its activities when, as we hope, peace and security are established in the capital Tripoli.

The Turkish Consulate-General in Misurata continues its functions and will serve citizens who stay in Libya of their own volition.