Ankara, April 04: A Turkish humanitarian ship, escorted by ten Turkish fighter jets and two navy frigates, has arrived in the Libyan city of Benghazi, after boarding over 250 injured people in Misrata.
Doctors on board the ship dubbed “The Ankara” said many of the wounded have extremely serious injuries, the state-funded BBC reported on Monday.
Libyan anti-government forces, inspired by revolutions that toppled authoritarian rulers in neighboring Tunisia and Egypt, are fighting to unseat embattled Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi after suffering under his despotic rule for over 41 years.
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu ordered “The Ankara” into Misrata on Sunday after it spent four days waiting for permission to dock.
The humanitarian ship will later return to Turkey where the wounded are to receive treatment.
Misrata has been under siege by pro-Gaddafi forces during the past few weeks. Thousands of people remain trapped in the city without food, water or electricity.
The Ankara is to pick up about 100 more of the wounded before sailing for the Turkish port of Cesme.
Meanwhile, fighting continues between Libyan revolutionaries and forces loyal to beleaguered Gaddafi.
——–Agencies