Asia-Pacific nations are rushing to evacuate thousands of their citizens and other residents amid the rapidly escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Officials from countries like the Philippines, Indonesia and Australia said they are working to secure chartered flights to bring their people home while Beirut airport remains open.
South Korea, meanwhile, has deployed a military plane to hasten repatriation of its citizens.
The evacuation plans are under way as clashes intensify between Israel and Iran, as well as the Teheran-backed groups Hezbollah and Hamas. On Oct 3, at least six people were killed after Israel bombed central Beirut.
The Philippine government is chartering flights for more than 1,200 out of 11,000 Filipinos who sought to be repatriated from Lebanon.
But the repatriation process has been delayed due to the late issuance of exit clearances and flight cancellations as a result of explosions in Lebanon, said Department of Migrant Workers Undersecretary Bernard Olalia.
Olalia said the government is exploring other evacuation options, such as exiting Lebanon via land and sea, due to the possibility of a shutdown of Beirut airport.
Repatriates are set to receive cash assistance from the government, while a contingency plan has already been established to ensure the safety of Filipinos who remain in Lebanon, though Olalia did not elaborate on it for now.
In the meantime, Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has advised its citizens in Lebanon to leave the country immediately via commercial options.
“In view of the volatile situation in the region, Singaporeans are advised to defer all travel to Lebanon,” it said in an updated travel advisory on Sept 28.
Indonesia has also begun evacuating its citizens from Lebanon, with its embassy in Beirut so far facilitating the return of at least 25 Indonesians since August.
Rolliansyah Soemirat, a spokesman for Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on Wednesday that several of the archipelago’s embassies in the Middle East are working together to ensure that Indonesians can be safely evacuated.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said the government has already dispatched a military aircraft to evacuate its citizens from the Middle East.
In a statement, he stressed the need for close cooperation with the international community to “swiftly restore stability” in the region.
Meanwhile, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has instructed the embassy in Tel Aviv to issue an advisory warning to Thais living in risky areas in Israel to evacuate if necessary. — The Straits TImes/ANN
