Australian PM advises citizens to leave Lebanon

 July 30 (IANS) Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has urged all Australians in Lebanon to leave the country. He told reporters on Tuesday that the government's official advice is for Australians to avoid travelling to Lebanon amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, Xinhua news agency reported. "The travel advice very clearly is don't go to Lebanon," he said. "People who are there who are Australian citizens should ensure that they take advantage of the commercial flights that are available out of Lebanon at this time, he said. Australia's Smartraveller service, which is run by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), on Monday issued a renewed warning against travelling to Lebanon due to the volatile security situation. It said Australians in Lebanon should leave the country immediately, warning that the security situation could deteriorate rapidly with little or no notice. Several airlines suspended flights to and from Beirut on Monday local time due to the security situation. "This is a troubling area. We have been issuing these travel warnings for many months now, and it is important that people are cognisant of those warnings," Albanese said on Tuesday. In the 2021 Australian census, over 248,000 Australians reported having Lebanese ancestry, including 87,343 who were born in the Middle Eastern country. According to the DFAT, approximately 15,000 Australians normally reside in Lebanon. --IANS int/rs/svn