Türkiye helps evacuate over 2,000 foreigners from Lebanon

ANKARA

Türkiye has helped evacuate 2,120 foreigners from Lebanon amid Israel's ongoing attacks, diplomatic sources said on Oct. 16.

The evacuees, who hailed from 21 countries including the U.S., Russia, Japan and Palestine, reached their respective destinations by air through Türkiye, the sources told local media.

Foreign Ministry officials reported the evacuation of 966 individuals from Lebanon on Oct. 10, including 878 Turkish citizens and 24 Northern Cypriots, along with first-degree relatives of them.

Their statement contradicted earlier claims that Syrian citizens were being prioritized.

A convoy of six ships, supported by naval escorts, departed from the southern Turkish port of Mersin early on Oct. 9. The convoy carried 300 tons of humanitarian supplies, including food, hygiene kits, kitchenware, tents, beds and blankets.

As evacuees lined up at the ships, Turkish soldiers and sailors conducted passport checks, and luggage was screened using metal detectors and drug-sniffing dogs before boarding. The return journey to Mersin was expected to take approximately 10 hours.

Türkiye's government plans to organize more sea evacuations if necessary and is contemplating charter flights to repatriate citizens.

Meanwhile, defense sources have previously said Türkiye does not anticipate an influx of migrants as a result of Israel's ongoing military actions in the region.

However, preventative measures are in place in regions under Turkish control, they told reporters in Ankara on Oct. 10.