Kenya Plans Evacuation of Citizens from Lebanon Amid Escalating Middle East Conflict – The East Observer

The Kenyan government has announced plans to evacuate its citizens from Lebanon as the country becomes increasingly entangled in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the government urged all Kenyans in Lebanon to register for repatriation by October 12th as tensions escalate in the region.

Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs confirmed that two groups of nationals have already been evacuated from Lebanon, where clashes between Hezbollah and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have intensified. The ministry emphasized that those who register will be prioritized for evacuation over unregistered individuals.

The conflict, now in its second day, has seen over 500 fatalities following a series of Israeli airstrikes targeting Beirut in response to rocket attacks by Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed paramilitary group.

Lebanon is home to hundreds of African nationals, including Kenyans, many of whom are university students or work in menial jobs. As the unrest unfolds, some have reported being abandoned by their employers, leaving them to navigate the crisis on their own.