INDONESIA, RAKYAT NEWS— The Director of Protection for Indonesian Citizens at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Judha Nugraha, has issued a dire warning to all Indonesian citizens (WNI) in Lebanon. With conflict escalating dangerously in the region, he urges heightened vigilance and immediate action.

“The situation in South Lebanon is volatile. We strongly advise all Indonesian citizens there to seek refuge at the Safe House provided by our Embassy in Beirut. In emergencies, contact the KBRI Beirut hotline at (+961 7081 7310),” Judha announced in a press release on Tuesday, July 30, 2024.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also recommends that all Indonesians leave Lebanon while commercial flights are still operational. “Given the recent developments, we have updated our advisory for Indonesians in Lebanon. They should consider leaving the country as soon as possible,” he stressed.

Data from the Indonesian Embassy in Beirut reveals that there are currently 203 Indonesians residing in Lebanon, alongside approximately 1,232 Indonesian military personnel serving with UNIFIL. Among them, 14 Indonesians are in South Lebanon, an area severely affected by the conflict. Despite this, the Ministry and the Embassy maintain constant communication and monitoring.

“We are in continuous contact with our citizens to ensure their safety. They are currently safe and calm, though 14 Indonesians in South Lebanon have decided to stay in their homes, believing the situation is still manageable,” Judha explained.

Ananda Astralia Loesi, the Second Secretary of the Indonesian Embassy in Beirut, has also issued a strong advisory against traveling to Lebanon until the security situation stabilizes.

“We urge all Indonesians planning to travel to Lebanon to postpone their trips until it is safe,” she stated.

Several countries have urged their citizens to leave Lebanon due to the escalating conflict. These include: Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Embassy in Beirut has called for an immediate departure of its citizens from Lebanon

Australia, Foreign Minister Penny Wong advised Australians to leave Lebanon as soon as possible while commercial flights are still available

Germany, The German Foreign Ministry has issued a travel warning and urged its citizens to leave Lebanon

Canada, the Canadian government has also advised its nationals to leave Lebanon amid the rising tensions

United Kingdom, the British Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office strongly advised against all travel to Lebanon

Other countries like the United States, the Netherlands, Russia, and Ireland have also advised their citizens to either leave Lebanon or avoid traveling there due to the volatile security situation (Uki Ruknuddin Semua Selamat pulang ke tanah air)