More Indians flee Beirut

NEW DELHI: Joining the surge of foreigners fleeing war-torn Lebanon, thousands of Indians living in that country today gathered at Beirut jetty as four Indian warships sailed into the harbour to evacuate them to safety.

At least 55 civilians were killed Wednesday as Israeli jets and gunboats pummelled towns and villages across Lebanon and tens of thousands of people fled a conflict which both sides defiantly warned would have no limit.

Over 1,000 Indians assembled at the jetty as Israeli operations against Hezbollah militia intensified in Lebanon. The warships — INS Mumbai, INS Betwa, INS Brahmaputra and auxillary tanker INS Shakti, anchored overnight off the Lebanese coast, moved into the port to pull out the anxious Indian nationals and shift them to camps in Larnaca in Cyprus, Navy sources said here.

“The Israelis, who have mounted a sea and air blockade off the Lebanese capital, have allowed the Indian warships to berth at the jetty to evacuate the stranded Indians,” they said.

With tens of thousands of foreigners and Lebanese nationals escaping the war zone, the Beirut jetty, according to messages received from the Naval warships, was teeming with people.

The Israelis are allowing rescue ships from a number of countries to berth in turns. “We are likely to get our turn any time,” the messages said. Navy officers said Indian warships like those from European countries and the US, would commence a ‘shuttle service’ between Beirut and Larnaca, which is an approximately eight-hour journey by ship.

“The fleet commander Rear Admiral Anup Singh is in constant touch with Indian Ambassador to Lebanon Nengcha Lhouvum to co-ordinate evacuation of stranded Indian Nationals,” they said. Besides pulling out the Indians, the Navy warships might also evacuate over 100,000 Sri Lankan and Nepalese nationals from the embattled country, officials said.

Sri Lankan and Nepalese authorities have made a special request for this, officials said pointing out that in the first ferry 500 nationals from these countries could also be evacuated. A report from Dubai quoted the Indian Ambassador to say that preparations were in full swing for the Indian vessels to dock for which all manifest information was being given to the Lebanese authorities.

Mr Lhouvum said an advisory had been sent to all Indian nationals in Lebanon to take precautions about their safety and to keep their travel papers ready in case if they wanted to be evacuated. There are an estimated 12,000 Indians working in the country.

India also has about 950 soldiers with UN peacekeeping mission with a battalion deployed in Israeli-Lebanon border in the Shiite-dominated southern part of the country and another 187 on logistic duties on the Golan heights. On Monday, 49 Indian nationals, mostly family members of the Indian embassy staff, were moved out of Beirut to Damascus by road.

Naval warships are also equipped with seven Chetak and larger Sea-King helicopters which may be used for evacuation process if needed. “The warships can also deploy rescue and speedboats, which can also be used for ferrying people from jetty to warships”, the Naval officers said.

The first lot of Indians to be evacuated include non-essential staff and families of Indian missions, Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed told reporters. India is in touch with Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Turkey and Israel to co-ordinate efforts to bring out Indians stranded in Lebanon.

About 12,000 Indians are stranded in Lebanon. Embassies in Beirut and Damascus and neighbouring countries are actively engaged in this rescue effort co-ordinated by the Ministries of External Affairs and Defence.