Turkey has evacuated 966 people from Lebanon, including 878 Turkish citizens, 24 citizens of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), and their relatives, BRTK reported on Thursday.
According to information from the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, approximately 1,900 Turkish citizens had requested evacuation from Lebanon.
Today, 966 individuals were evacuated by Turkish ships, consisting of 878 Turkish citizens, 24 TRNC citizens, and 64 of their immediate family members.
Reports that foreign nationals were given priority boarding are “completely false“, the sources stated, emphasising that all those accepted on board were relatives of Turkish citizens.
Addressing claims that non-Turkish individuals were allowed on the ships, the sources added, “Such claims not only promote xenophobia but also hinder the efforts of those working under challenging conditions during the operation“.
The sources also noted that around 2,500 people initially registered with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for evacuation. Of those, about 1,900 were expected to arrive at the designated assembly points. However, it was estimated that roughly 1,000 individuals actually reached the points, as some chose not to board at the last moment.
Meanwhile Kibris Postasi reported that one of the evacuees, TRNC citizen Said Ezbek, originally from Minareliköy, born in 1949, died from a heart attack while on the journey from Lebanon. His body was brought to the Gülseren Military Barracks by helicopter and transferred to the Famagusta State Hospital mortuary.