ISTANBUL: More than 1,000 Americans and their dependents have fled war-hit Lebanon aboard US chartered flights in the last week, arriving in Turkey for a temporary stay, the top US diplomat in Istanbul said on Thursday.
As Israel ramped up its ground and air assault on Lebanese armed group Hezbollah in recent weeks, the US and several other countries have for now relied on commercial and state-booked flights to get citizens out, especially via Turkey.
"It's the fastest, safest way to get Americans out of harm's way," Consul General Julie Eadeh said in an interview in Istanbul.
"The security situation is dynamic, so we have been planning for months for all contingencies. Given the airport in Beirut remains operational and open, our focus is on facilitating departures by air."
Ten of 12 US chartered flights from Beirut have arrived in Istanbul carrying 1,025 citizens and immediate family members since October 2, according to another US official. Those interviewed at the airport said they were shaken by bombings and feared for their lives. "It's not safe for her there," Nadine El Shab said of the baby daughter she held in her hands, adding she would next travel onward to Michigan.
Under an agreement with Ankara, US travellers as well as those arriving on chartered flights from some other Western countries must depart Turkey within 72 hours of arrival. Aside from those headed to Istanbul, two other US chartered flights from Beirut arrived in Frankfurt and Doha in recent days, and authorities expect such flights will continue for the thousands of US citizens still in Lebanon. — Reuters
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