ANKARA
We will continue to closely monitor the situation in South Sudan and take the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of Turkish citizens in the country, an official statement from Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.
The plane carrying 21 Turkish citizens landed Saturday at Ankara's Esenboga Airport at 12:50 a.m. Turkish local time, the statement said.
On Friday, a Turkish Armed Forces aircraft was sent to capital Juba to evacuate the Turkish citizens in South Sudan who wished to return to Turkey.
The statement further said that the Turkish Embassy in Juba would continue its operations, and Turkey would continue to support South Sudan in its development efforts, and in establishing security and stability in the country with the cooperation of the international community.
South Sudan is the newest country of the world and the unrest in the country started two weeks ago amid sectarian violence. The death toll according to official statements is up to 500 people. However, according to different reports, the actual death toll is much higher. The conflict has likely killed more than 1,000 people, a top UN official said.
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