Minister: Dozens of Indonesians Already Evacuated from Lebanon
- akun X @Abu_Orwa91
Jakarta, VIVA – Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi on Thursday informed that at least 20 Indonesian nationals have been evacuated from Lebanon to Damascus, Syria, by land.
"The total is 20–25 (people) if I am not mistaken," she said in Jakarta, as quoted from Antara site.
A number of Indonesian nationals chose to remain in Lebanon, but did not refuse to be evacuated, she added.
"There are several Indonesians, who, considering their families and so on, chose to remain there," she explained.
Minister Marsudi could not confirm when the evacuees would be flown to Indonesia because currently, airlines in a number of Middle Eastern countries are implementing an open-close system.
"Because of the very dynamic situation on the ground, airspace can be opened and then closed again," she stated.
Menteri Luar Negeri Retno Marsudi.
- tvOne.
The minister emphasized that the government will repatriate them as soon as conditions allow. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will also continue to monitor developments in Lebanon.
"We already have a group of ambassadors in the Middle East who report to me every time on developments in each country," she said.
Earlier, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has called for immediate action to help Indonesian citizens flee Lebanon amid escalating attacks from Israel.
He said that their protection and safety must be prioritized.
Israel has launched a ground offensive in Lebanon after conducting air strikes since September 23, 2024, which have killed around one thousand people and injured over 2,700.
In retaliation for the killing of Hezbollah's long-time leader Hassan Nasrallah, Hamas political bureau chief Ismael Haniyeh, and senior commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Abbas Nilforoushan, Iran launched hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel this week.
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