Operation launched to evacuate Malaysians in Middle East

 Tensions in the Middle East have escalated since Feb 28 following attacks by Israel and the US on Iran.

A chartered Malaysia Airlines flight left for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, today to bring back around 200 Malaysian students, travellers, and umrah pilgrims stranded in the Middle East.

PETALING JAYA:

 Malaysia has sent a chartered Malaysia Airlines flight to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to evacuate its citizens from the Middle East conflict zone.

The aircraft departed KLIA at 4.10pm and is scheduled to arrive in Jeddah at 8.50pm.

Around 200 students, travellers, and umrah pilgrims are set to return on the flight, reported Bernama.

The mission is expected to bring home Malaysians stranded in Qatar, Jordan and Syria.

The National Security Council is coordinating the operation in close cooperation with the foreign ministry through Malaysian representative offices in the relevant countries.

On March 8, the foreign ministry said 649 Malaysians were reportedly stranded across several locations in the Middle East because of the US-Israeli war on Iran.

It said 24,568 Malaysians had registered with the ministry’s online consular system.

Tensions in the Middle East have escalated since Feb 28 following attacks by Israel and the US on Iran, followed by Tehran’s retaliatory strikes on US interests in the Gulf countries. - FMT