Rescue Nepalese from Lebanon: Nepal to India

Kathmandu, July 22: The Nepal government has requested its Indian counterpart to help rescue the Nepalese stuck in Lebanon, media reports said here today.

''We have requested India to rescue the Nepalese along with Indians,'' The Kathmandu Post quoted Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister KP Sharma Oli as saying.

''The government sent letters to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs through the Indian embassy in Kathmandu and the Nepalese mission in New Delhi,'' spokesman for the Ministry Yadav Khanal said.

''In the letters, we have requested India to extend cooperation, by rescuing the Nepalese in need in Lebanon,'' Mr Khanal said.

The government also sent similar letters to International Organisation of Migration (IOM) headquarters and its regional office in Dhaka.

''India has said it will do its best in evacuating the stranded Nepalese in Lebnanon, and IOM is also positive to our request,'' he said.

Mr Khanal said among thousands of Nepalese stuck in Lebanon, around 200 are likely to be evacuated from the Lebanese capital, Beirut, with Indian help by Monday.

Around 80 Nepalese have been registered with the embassy through Beirut-based Honorary Nepalese Consul J Issa El-Khoury since last evening, he said.

''Since a bigger ship is arriving on Monday, the Indian authorities have agreed to transport as many Nepalese they can accommodate," said Mr Thakur.

Mr Thakur informed that the Nepalese working in Israel were safe.

It is estimated that there are about 4,000 Nepalese in Lebanon.

UNI

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