Turkey urges citizens to leave Libya 'quickly'

Ankara // Turkey has urged all Turkish citizens remaining in Libya to leave the conflict-torn country because of the deteriorating security situation.

“We advise once more our remaining citizens in Libya to quickly leave because of the unstable security situation and negative developments ... in recent weeks,” the foreign ministry said.

Turkey on Wednesday condemned as “unacceptable” and “irresponsible” a statement allegedly made by the Libyan Air Force in a Facebook post warning all Turkish civilian and military planes would be shot down should they enter Libyan air space.

The warning came after Turkish Airlines suspended flights to Misurata this week, its only remaining destination in Libya after it had earlier pulled its flights to the capital Tripoli as well as Benghazi and the inland desert city of Sebha.

Turkey has long had strong links with Libya, which has been riven with divisions since the fall of strongman Muammar Qaddafi in 2011.

The country is awash with weapons and powerful militias, and has rival governments and parliaments.

Although many Turks have already followed previous government warnings and fled the bloodletting sparked by warring factions, others still run restaurants and shops in Libya.

Turkish firms have suspended US$19 billion (Dh70bn) worth of construction projects alone because of the fighting, according to the Turkey Contractors’ Association.

Turkey’s recent role in Libya has stirred ill-feeling in recent months, however.

The Turkish special representative to Libya became the first envoy publicly to meet militant-supported authorities in Tripoli last year, prompting accusations that Ankara was pursuing a foreign agenda that favours hardline religious groups, which has already seen it alienate numerous former allies in the region.

* Agence France-Presse and Reuters