M’sians in Lebanon safe for now

PETALING JAYA: Amid Israel’s retaliatory attacks on Hamas supporters and sympathisers at the northern border of Lebanon, Malaysians living and working in the country remain safe and out of danger.

Malaysian Ambassador to Lebanon Azri Mat Yacob said there are Malaysian families with a total of 12 members living in Lebanon, but they are a distance away from the affected areas at the southern Israel-Lebanon border. He added that the Malaysians are women married to Lebanese citizens and their children.

The embassy, he said, was also in contact with Malaysian peacekeepers serving under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) based in the south.“Lebanon is about the size of Kedah. We are in Beirut, about 100km from the affected border in the south of Lebanon.

“We are in touch with all of our Malaysians here, including 851 of our Malbatt (Malaysian Battalion) peacekeepers.“Although there are uncertainties and concerns of skirmishes along the southern border, the situation here in Beirut and northern parts of Lebanon is calm and we are safe.

“However, in case of any emergency, an evacuation plan is in place,” he said in a phone interview from Beirut.

Azri said as a precautionary measure – as is also being taken by other embassies – the families of embassy staff have returned to Malaysia on the advice of Wisma Putra.

He said four staff members – he and his deputy, as well as two others – will remain in the country to serve Malaysians, including those who may not have registered their particulars with the embassy.With the ongoing conflict, Azri has urged Malaysians to postpone their trip to Lebanon if it is non- essential travel.

A Malaysian in Lebanon, who declined to be named, said the strikes by Israel were in retaliation for armed attacks by Hezbollah and other Hamas supporters.

“It was quite common for tensions to heighten on both sides (Hezbollah and Israeli forces) even before the Israel-Palestine clash. The strikes by both were usually a show of power, but aimed at jungles and open areas.

“However, there were villages along the Lebanese border which were also hit and suffered casualties,” he said.