Ethiopia evacuates over 50 citizens from Lebanon as conditions deteriorate

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AA) - The Ethiopian Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday that 51 Ethiopian citizens have been evacuated from Lebanon in response to the worsening regional conditions.

The statement indicated that a special committee has been formed to facilitate the evacuation process, giving priority to women and children, and noted that further evacuations are planned.

Additionally, the Foreign Ministry reported that the consulate is working to move citizens to safer locations within Lebanon until additional evacuations can take place.

According to a report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Ethiopians account for approximately 20 percent of the over 250,000 foreign domestic migrant workers in Lebanon, predominantly from Africa and Asia.

Since Sept. 23, Israel has carried out extensive airstrikes across Lebanon targeting what it describes as Hezbollah sites, resulting in over 1,250 fatalities, 3,618 injuries, and the displacement of more than 1.2 million people.

This aerial offensive marks a significant escalation in the ongoing cross-border conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which has intensified following Israel's military campaign in the Gaza Strip that has claimed nearly 42,000 lives, predominantly women and children, since the Hamas attack on Oct. 7 of the previous year.

Despite international concerns about the potential for a regional conflict due to Israel’s relentless attacks on Gaza and Lebanon, Tel Aviv intensified the situation by initiating a ground invasion in southern Lebanon on Oct. 1.