Turkey evacuates 8,000 citizens from Libya

Turkey had evacuated 8,360 citizens from Libya by Friday and the operation is continuing, RIA Novosti cites the government press-service.

26 planes, including 4 military aircraft, and two ferries were mobilized.

12 planes, including 8 military aircraft, will be sent to Libya, the Turkish government says.
A marine ferry will leave Benghazi and head to Marmaris in the Mediterranean Sea. It will take approximately 1,500 people aboard.

Turkey has approximately 25,000 civilians and 200 companies in Libya. They are mainly construction companies. Their contracts are worth a total of $15 billion.

The protests in Libya started on February 15. People are demanding Muammar al-Gaddafi, who has been in power for 42 years, to resign. Security forces and foreign mercenaries have already killed some 600-1000 people and injured 4,000.

Foreign states are evacuating their citizens. The Libyan authorities say they will toughen measures against the unrest. Al-Gaddafi made a speech on Tuesday, saying that he will not resign.