Jordan Times
Monday, July 24, 2006
Embassy working to
evacuate citizens in south Lebanon
By Rana Husseini
AMMAN — The Jordanian embassy in Beirut is
working to help Jordanians in southern Lebanon reach the mission to be
repatriated, an embassy official said.
“We are coordinating with the Lebanese authorities and NGOs to transport
Jordanians residing in south Lebanon to our embassy,” Charge d’Affaires at the
Jordanian embassy in Lebanon Mohammad Fayez said.
In a telephone interview with The Jordan Times, Fayez said two groups were
transported safely to the embassy in the past two days.
“We are waiting for buses to come from Jordan so we can send these people and
any other Jordanians who arrive at the embassy,” Fayez said.
He urged citizens wishing to leave Lebanon to contact the Jordanian embassy in
Beirut for assistance and free transportation to Jordan.
“Our buses shuttling between Amman and Beirut are for free upon directives by
His Majesty King Abdullah. We urge people to contact us and we will exert our
utmost effort to help everyone in need,” Fayez said.
The 12-hour bus trip is being coordinated with the Lebanese and Syrian
embassies.
According to Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) sources, these buses will
continue to be dispatched to the embassy in Beirut based on demand. According to
the Jordan News Agency, Petra, there are approximately 2,700 Jordanians living
in Lebanon.
The number of Jordanians who returned to the country since the military
escalation in Lebanon reached 1,600 on 26 buses, an MoFA source said.
On Saturday, King Abdullah instructed the Public Security Department to
facilitate the entry to Jordan of Lebanese citizens and foreigners fleeing the
deteriorating situation in Lebanon.