ISTANBUL, Oct 8, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Turkey is sending ships to evacuate around 2,000 of its citizens from Lebanon on Wednesday, the foreign ministry said.

Two Turkish navy ships will leave a port in southern Turkish province of Mersin for Beirut on Tuesday, the ministry said in a statement.

Turkey is estimated to have 14,000 citizens registered with its consulate in Lebanon.

Turkish officials said they had drawn up contingency plans to evacuate their citizens from Lebanon because of the deteriorating security situation on the ground.

Last week, the foreign ministry said guidelines for the evacuation of third countries' citizens via Turkey

have also been determined, adding that necessary preparations were underway in cooperation with nearly 20 countries that have requested support.