The evacuation of Europeans from Libya begins (maj6)
The 27 are currently studying a coordinated evacuation plan for the Europeans currently on Libyan soil. Rather than a plan in the operational sense, we should rather speak of exchanges of information and coordination.
Coordination and exchange of information
Exchanges of information have taken place in recent hours through the consular network. The Heads of Mission of the Member States on the spot, in Tripoli, also held a meeting to exchange information. EU Foreign Ministers discussed this on Monday, informally, in Brussels on the sidelines of the Council. According to our information, the majority of Member States (except 2) have recommended the repatriation of their nationals. (*)
Nb: The European Union is represented in Libya by the Hungarian ambassador posted in Tripoli (the diplomatic service has no delegation in Libya, a liaison office was to be opened). It is he who is normally in charge of coordinating European efforts on the spot.
Portuguese and Austrian aircraft, then Greek and Italian
Means of evacuation will be pooled. To civilian means (Tripoli airport continues to operate), military means will be added. Portuguese Foreign Minister Luis Amado announced that a Portuguese C-130 military plane would leave for Tripoli. As for the Austrians, they put their air forces on alert and decided to preposition a plane in Malta. A Bundesheer C130 plane has already left for Valletta on Sunday morning with a special forces team, a doctor, a psychologist. "It will allow the repatriation of Austrians and European citizens if the situation worsens" specified the Minister of Defence, Norbert Darabos. Austria has 3 C-130 Hercules already used for the evacuation of several dozen Austrian and European citizens during the events in Egypt (1). Austria participates in one of the European battlegroups which is permanent this semester.)
(updated Monday and Tuesday) Greece also indicated on Monday that it was ready to send a C-130 plane to Libya as soon as the flight authorization was given by the authorities. In turn, the Italian Minister of Defense indicated on Tuesday that a C-130 was ready to take off for Benghazi and repatriate a hundred Italians (and Europeans) who are stranded there. France, finally, announced the dispatch of three military planes to Tripoli to repatriate nationals, announced the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Europeans in Libya
(updated: Monday 22 p.m.) According to different information there are in Libya: 30 Poles, 70 Belgians, 80 Austrians, 250 Greeks (and Cypriots), 500 Germans, 750 French, 1500 Bulgarians, 1500 Italians, 3500 British ( compared to 25.000 Turks).
First European evacuations
All the information can be found in this new article : The evacuation of Europeans from Libya, the operation is accelerating
Repatriation of Turks
Turkey has already begun, Monday, the evacuation of its citizens, including Benghazi. A Turkish Airlines plane landed at Atatürk International Airport, repatriating a first contingent of 287 people. The government mobilized 4 planes and 2 boats and recommended to its nationals (there are about 25.000 in Libya) to go by road to the Libyan city of Tobruk to be evacuated by plane. Several European embassies (France, Germany, Hungary, Croatia) have also requested assistance from the Turks, according to Ankara. The situation is particularly difficult in Benghazi where a Turkish plane had to turn around.
Balance sheet in dramatic increase
(updated Monday 24h) The unrest left at least 230 dead according to the organization Human Rights Watch. But this toll could rise rapidly. The latest demonstrations, repressed in Tripoli, would have caused at least sixty deaths according to local sources, relayed on Twitter and by Al-Jazeera. We were talking Monday night about 500 dead (figure not confirmed). Among the injured, there are several foreign citizens, including a dozen Bengali workers injured (including 2 serious) on a construction site near Tripoli and three South Koreans. Two Egyptians were also reportedly killed.
Read also:
