Indians evacuated from Lebanon

New Delhi, July 17 (UNI) India has evacuated 26 family members of the embassy staff and six other families from Lebanon following heightened crisis there, the External Affairs Ministry Ministry annonced here tonight.

Mr Rajiv Sikri (Secretary East) in the External Affairs Ministry said that from the Indian Embassy officials' families 26 people wives and children of staff members and officers, and from the Indian community six families have been evacuated.

They are Mr and Mrs Sanjeev Agrawal and family, Mr and Mrs Dipen Modi and family, Mrs. Nirmala Fernandes and family, Mr and Mrs Rohit Garg, Mr and Mrs Ahmed and family, Mr and Mrs Francis and family.

The Lebanese government did provide an escort up to the Lebanese border. Mr Sikri said the crisis in Lebanon had been escalating over the last few days and it was expected that it was likely to worsen in the coming days particularly in Southern Lebanon which may come under heavy Israeli attack.

The Israeli air strikes are taking place and it is not ruled out that there could be some ground forces also that could cross over from Israel to Lebanon. In view of the emerging situation, India was concerned about the welfare of about 12,000 Indian nationals living in Lebanon. They are mostly unskilled or semi-skilled labourers working in factories, farms and industrial units. Some of them have been in Lebanon for over two decades and they continued to live there even in the time of the earlier crisis in 1980s.

Should the crisis worsen then their welfare and their possible evacuation was something that New Delhi had to be concerned about he said. For the moment, India had facilitated the evacuation of all the families of India-based personnel in the Embassy there, as well as some Indian nationals in and around Beirut who wanted to leave Lebanon.

''This morning a couple of buses were organised by our Embassy and we have just received information that they have safely arrived in Syria. They had crossed over the border and as we speak, it's probable that they may have reached Damascus where our mission will look after their welfare. Two buses, a total of 49 people have been sent out of Lebanon today,'' he added.

The Indian Embassy in Beirut has been constantly in touch with the Indian nationals, who are scattered all over the country and an advisory had been issued to the nationals in view of the deteriorating situation in Lebanon.

''All Indian nationals living there, particularly in southern Lebanon, should take suitable precautions regarding their personal safety. I would advise them to remain in contact with our Embassy in Beirut and have given the contact telephone numbers and address of the Embassy which is being manned on a round-the-clock basis. The Embassy will give them the necessary advice and updated information on the evolving situation. It is possible that some of them may not have travel documents, or may need other consular assistance, so our Embassy would assist in this regard. Those Indian nationals who may wish to leave Lebanon and are able to cross into Syria, have been advised to contact the Embassy of India in Damascus, which is also running a 24-hour help line and is being manned round the clock, so that they can also give advise and assistance to the Indians to get back to India,'' Mr Sikri added.

More UNI RB AK DB2358