457 Workers Back in Turkey After Stuck Between Clashes in Libya

Stuck amid clashes in Libya and seeking refuge in an abandoned airport  for 11 days, 457 workers from Turkey have arrived in Turkey last night. 

The plane also brought the body of İsmet Yalçın (55) - a worker who died of a stroke during the waiting. 

11 days in an abandoned airport 

The incident took place as workers from Enka Teknik - a Turkish engineering firm operating worldwide - were stuck in armed clashes between two seemingly tribes.   

Harassed by the sounds of gunfire, the aforementioned workers were initially transferred from the city of Ubari to Ghat Airport. 

However, they had to be removed to Misrata district in northwestern Libya due to security reasons.  

In the meanwhile, Cengiz Mendillioğlu from Human Rights Association (İHD) Ankara Branch reached workers via satellite phone and claimed that workers were subjected to bad conditions and two workers were sick.

“We fear being abducted or killed here,” workers allegedly told  Mendillioğlu. Workers also suffered from shortage of food and water. 

During the waiting period,  İsmet Yalçın (55) died of a stroke. 

“I slept in the X-ray machine”

After landing on Istanbul, İsa Özinan, a mechanical supervisor, spoke to the press, saying that  the company had 5 different working locations in the region.

“Workers were previously evacuated due to clashes as well,” he added. 

Informing that the clashes broke out between tribes around 2 weeks ago about the sharing of oil resources, Özinan said the following: 

“As soon as we heard about the clashes, we proceeded to the evacuation and left the working premisses. We headed south towards Ghat Airport which borders with Algeria. They told us that the plane would arrive on [last] Monday. We were unable to arrive there due to transport by bus. It delayed to Tuesday.

He also added that the conditions were limited at the airport and they spent the night at the airport.

“I slept in the X-ray machine, We were very uncomfortable but we were never subjected to an armed assault,” he said.

Previously, Foreign Ministry released a statement saying that they recommended the firm to evict the working area 5 months ago. (AS/BM)

* Photo credit: Şebnem Coşkun / AA

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.