Turkish authorities announced on Monday that 66 Libyan nationals who received treatment in Turkey after the recent uprising in Libya, as well as 28 individuals who accompanied them during their stay in Turkey, were sent from the Aegean province of Izmir back to their home country.

The injured Libyans received treatments in Izmir, capital Ankara and southwestern Mugla province, and upon their release from the hospitals, they were sent to the Libyan city of Benghazi with a military plane provided by the Turkish General Staff on Monday, said a statement from the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency of the Turkish Prime Ministry.

The presidency said a total of 240 Libyan citizens had been treated in Turkey and returned to Libya so far.

There were 189 Libyan nationals whose treatments still continued in Turkey, the authority added.

Last month, an uprising began against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi after the long-time leaders of neighbouring Tunisia and Egypt were toppled. Gaddafi has ruled Libya for more than 40 years.

Earlier this month, a Turkish ferryboat and military cargo plane brought to Turkey hundreds of people who were injured in clashes between Gaddafi forces and the opposition.

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