Turkey may close embassy in Tripoli: Davutoğlu

ANKARA

Smoke rises above buildings after heavy fighting between rival militias broke out near the airport in Tripoli, June 23. REUTERS Photo

Turkey has considered closing its embassy in Tripoli because of growing security concerns in the country, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has said, adding that efforts to evacuate Turkish citizens in Libya were underway.

“We may take such a decision,” the foreign minister said July 24 during an interview with the private channel A Haber, upon a question on whether Turkey would close its embassy in Tripoli.

“Unfortunately, the clashes in Tripoli have intensified, spreading to the downtown [area of the city] and close to our embassy,” Davutoğlu said, recalling that Turkey had already suspended work at its consulate in Benghazi due to the poor security conditions.

With tensions high in Libya, the ministry issued its third travel warning in the last two weeks, urging Turkish citizens to leave the country.

Davutoğlu said he informed Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan late July 23 on the recent developments in the country, adding that the government was working on contingency plans for the evacuation of Turkish citizens in Libya in the event that they want to leave the country.

Turkey evacuated thousands of its citizens from Libya just before the international community’s military operation in 2012, which toppled Moammar Gadhafi’s regime.