NICOSIA (Reuters) -Cyprus has received requests to assist in the evacuation of citizens of Portugal and Slovakia from the Middle East, Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos said on Monday. “There are two active requests,” Kombos told reporters. “Obviously this very much depends on the access of their civilians to neighbouring countries by road.” Last week, […]
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Cyprus receives requests to help evacuate Portugal, Slovakia citizens from Middle East
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NICOSIA (Reuters) -Cyprus has received requests to assist in the evacuation of citizens of Portugal and Slovakia from the Middle East, Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos said on Monday.
“There are two active requests,” Kombos told reporters. “Obviously this very much depends on the access of their civilians to neighbouring countries by road.”
Last week, Cyprus activated a mechanism to assist in the evacuation of third-country nationals from the Middle East region if required.
Its airports operator Hermes has said that dozens of flights from the Middle East had been diverted to airports in Larnaca and Paphos after most airlines halted flights to and from Israel following the start of its conflict with Iran.
With Iranian missiles hitting residential areas in Israeli cities, many foreigners are seeking ways out of the country. Croatia’s ambassador in Israel on Monday said 28 of its citizens expressed a wish to be evacuated.
(Reporting by Michele Kambas; Writing by Daria Sito-Sucic; Editing by William Maclean and Bill Berkrot)