Egypt

Turkey evacuates 1200 Egyptians from Libya

The Turkish government is sending a frigate and a ship from its navy to take 1200 Egyptians from Libya to Alexandria.

A statement issued by the Turkish embassy in Cairo on Sunday said that the ship "Samson" will transfer 1053 Egyptians and one Australian, while the frigate "Gelibolu" is transferring 81 Egyptians who had already left Tripoli. "Gelibou" will arrive in Alexandria by Monday.

Turkish Ambassador to Cairo Hüseyin Avni Botsalı, Consul General Semih Turgut, the head of the military attache and representatives of the Egyptian authorities will receive the evacuees.

About 53,000 fleeing Egyptians have arrived in Egypt through the Salloum border crossing, while about 20,000 have crossed to Tunisia, to escape the violence.

According to news reports at least ten Egyptians have been killed in Libya since the start of demonstrations on February 17 calling for the overthrow of leader Muammar Qadhafi.

Egyptians make up the largest foreign community in Libya, with around 1.5 million people working in the country.

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