Kazakh MFA: Citizens Evacuated from the Middle East via Oman and Saudi Arabia
Photo: elements.envato.com
Against the backdrop of a sharp escalation in the Middle East and the closure of airspace in a number of countries, Kazakhstan is organizing the evacuation of its citizens via overland routes, Orda.kz reports.
Deputy Foreign Minister Alibek Bakayev announced this at a government briefing.
According to him, a Flydubai flight operated yesterday for Kazakhstanis who had purchased tickets before February 28 but were unable to fly on March 1 and 2. In general, the UAE has closed its airspace. Many airlines have suspended flights, but carriers are still allowed to fulfill their obligations to passengers, so the flight went ahead.
This applies only to citizens with previously purchased tickets. Kazakhstanis who are in transit without tickets, as well as those living in the UAE and Qatar, are being evacuated via neighboring countries.
A number of citizens of Kazakhstan who are in transit without tickets, and a number of citizens of Kazakhstan who live in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar — as we reported yesterday — will be evacuated through two neighboring states. This is the Sultanate of Oman: the first convoy of buses with our citizens departed Dubai today. By the end of the day, we plan to bring 467 citizens of Kazakhstan from the Sultanate of Oman back to Kazakhstan.he said.
The second route runs through Saudi Arabia. Citizens in Qatar will be taken by bus to Riyadh and then to Jeddah. From there, they will be sent home on flights operated by Kazakh airlines.
Separate work is underway on Iran. People are being evacuated overland via Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan. Following talks between Kazakhstan’s foreign minister and his counterparts, Turkmenistan has allowed border crossings. Eighteen Kazakh citizens who were in Gorgan, in northern Iran, have already been taken out through Turkmen territory.
Transport Minister Nurlan Sauranbayev said Kazakhstan is ready to deploy up to six aircraft (Air Astana and SCAT) as soon as air corridors reopen. In total, around 5,000 Kazakhstanis are expected to depart.
Evacuation routes:
- From Dubai — via Oman
- From Qatar — via Saudi Arabia
- From Iran — overland via Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and Armenia
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues to coordinate the evacuation and is negotiating with neighboring states to ensure the safe return of citizens.
Original author: Ilya Astakhov
Read also:
Latest news
- Ecology Ministry Explains 13 Million Tenge Fine For Picking Dandelions
- Kazakhstan Refineries Increase Oil Processing Depth To 90%
- High Rates No Longer Keep Kazakh Banks’ Profits Rising, Analysts Say
- Almaty Health Officials Prepare for Possible Hantavirus Cases
- Ministry Says Saiga Deaths Remain Within Natural Limits
- Kazakhstan Faces Shortage of Doctors and IT Specialists
- Kazakhstan Petition Calls for VAT Removal on Feminine Hygiene Products
- Kazakhstan to Publish Register of Convicted Economic Crime Offenders
- Kazakhstan’s Economy Grew 3.6% in Four Months
- Shymkent Colleges Used Fictitious Students to Steal Over 1.3 Billion Tenge
- Almaty Court Extends Chechen Activist’s Extradition Arrest
- Record Rainfall Hits Almaty
- Falling Caspian Sea Level Reshapes Northern Coastline
- Kazakhstan Says It Is Ready To Help Resolve Iran’s Nuclear Issue
- Pashinyan Explains Why He Will Skip The EAEU Summit In Astana
- Kazakhstan To Gradually Cut University Programs In Oversupplied Fields
- Kazakhstan Offers Indonesia A Route To Central Asia And Europe
- Kazakhstan Tightens Rules for Master Plans and Urban Development
- Kazakhstan Approves Rules for Digital Tenge Circulation
- Military Jets to Conduct Training Flights Over Astana
