Turks are leaving Lebanon by ship because they are afraid for their safety

About 2,000 Turkish citizens and their families were getting ready to leave Beirut on Wednesday on two Turkish navy landing ships. They were leaving Lebanon because they were afraid for their safety as Israel expanded its operations against Hezbollah terrorists.

People who gathered at the port said they left Lebanon on the ships that left Turkey on Tuesday because of concerns about safety and the lack of money in Lebanon.

“We just can’t take this anymore.” We have no idea where this country is going. “The siege is getting worse,” said Issa Malak, who, like many of the people who had to leave, is both Lebanese and Turkish. “This place doesn’t have any bread.” There is no hope for Lebanon.

When the ships got to Beirut, they first unloaded help for people in need. The defense ministry of Turkey said they had about 300 tons of goods with them.

“There are bed nets, tents, blankets, food packages, cooking tools, and hygiene kits,” Ali Baris Ulusoy, the Turkish ambassador, told the state-run Anadolu news agency.

Before the ships arrived, the travelers checked in their papers and waited with their bags.

“We’re leaving because the rockets and shells started dropping on us,” said Tarek.
Mariam Darwish, who is both Turkish and Lebanese, said she would go on a trip with her Turkish father, who is 80 years old.

“The situation is becoming scary, and our neighbourhood became unsafe,” she told me. “This is much safer for us and our children, our grandchildren and our health.”

A source in the Turkish Foreign Ministry said that the ships should get to Mersin, which is in the eastern Mediterranean, on Thursday, after a trip of about 12 hours.

The person said that some of the Turkish people who had to leave would be joined by family members from other countries. The person said earlier this week that there were about 14,000 Turkish people living in Lebanon. In addition to the two ships, the source said that Ankara will also hire planes out of Lebanon if there is a need.

Turkey has said in the past that it is working with about 20 other countries to get ready for a possible evacuation of foreigners through Turkey. Several hundred people from different countries came to Turkey last week on a private ferry from Lebanon.