The United Kingdom has temporarily withdrawn employees from its embassy in Beirut, as well as their families, due to the current crisis in the Middle East, the British Government declared this Monday, recommending its nationals not to travel to Lebanon.
“Some British embassy staff and all workers’ families have been temporarily withdrawn. The embassy continues to carry out its essential activities, including services to British citizens,” the British Foreign Office said.
The current “security situation” in Lebanon, according to the British Ministry, is the main reason for this decision, after Israel and the Lebanese Islamist movement Hezbollah exchanged fire along the border between the two countries.
The British Government “advises against all travel to Lebanon due to the risks associated with the conflict between Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.”
“There are continuous exchanges of mortars and artillery and airstrikes in southern Lebanon, on the border with Israel. Tension is high and events can escalate without warning, which could affect or limit exit routes from Lebanon,” the Ministry stressed in a travel update. to that country.
“There is also a risk of civil unrest. There have been large protests outside embassies, including those of the United States and France on October 17. More protests are expected. British citizens should exercise caution and avoid areas where demonstrations may occur,” said the British Ministry.
Source: TSF
