121 Chinese evacuees reach Tunisia from Libya

Chinese employees of a steel plant arrive at the Carthage Airport in Tunis, Tunisia, Aug 1, 2014. 121 Chinese nationals, who had been evacuated from violence-hit Libya, reached Tunisia early Friday, the Chinese Embassy said. They traveled to the Tunisian capital, from where they would be flown home. [Photo/Xinhua]

TUNIS - Some 121 Chinese nationals, who had been evacuated from violence-hit Libya, reached Tunisia early Friday, the Chinese Embassy said.

The Chinese, employees of a steel plant, passed the Ras Jadir border crossing at 3 a.m. local time (0500 GMT), Liu Kaiyuan, an official from the Chinese Embassy, told Xinhua.

The Chinese evacuees would travel to the Tunisian capital, where they would be flown home, he said.

Some 500 Chinese are expected to enter Tunisia from neighboring Libya through the Ras Jadir crossing on Friday, according to the Chinese embassies in Tunisia and Libya.

China issued warnings to its nationals in Libya on Monday, urging them to leave the country as soon as possible, citing a deteriorating security situation.

Clashes in Libya's capital of Tripoli and eastern city of Benghazi between rival militias have left at least 214 people dead and 981 others wounded since July 13. Many feared that the fierce fighting might turn into a full-fledged civil war.