Cypriot and other nationals evacuated from Lebanon

Cypriot authorities evacuated from Lebanon early Friday morning, via Damascus, a total of 115 persons, after Israel launched an air, land and sea blockade on Beirut.

A jet chartered by the Cypriot government arrived in Larnaca at 0630 (0330 GMT) carrying 102 Cypriots, six English, four Czechs, two French and one American citizen from Beirut.

Speaking to CNA, Foreign Ministry Permanent Secretary Ambassador Sotos Zakheos expressed satisfaction with the all – night long coordinated efforts by the Ministry crisis team to facilitate the safe return of Cypriot and other nationals from Lebanon.

Zakheos said that the aircraft arrived in Cyprus after a six-hour delay because the buses carrying Cypriot and other nationals had to change route on their way to Damascus.

‘The journey was very long and it took a lot of effort to ensure that these persons would be taken safely to Damascus, since the roads linking the Syrian capital with Beirut were extemely busy,’ Zakheos noted.

The Cypriot official also said that the Foreign Ministry is trying to evacuate some five Cypriots in southern Lebanon.

‘We will continue efforts to see how we can get them out of a very difficult situation, since the area is cut off with battered roads and bridges,’ Zakheos added.