MFA: About 1,000 Azerbaijani citizens have applied for evacuation from the Middle East

About 1,000 citizens of Azerbaijan have contacted the country's diplomatic missions in Middle Eastern countries with evacuation requests amid the ongoing military escalation in the region.

This was reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Azerbaijan.

The ministry emphasized that after the closure of airspace in the Persian Gulf countries, measures to evacuate Azerbaijani citizens located in those states were immediately initiated. On the instructions of the government, Azerbaijan's diplomatic missions in the region began registering citizens wishing to leave their countries of stay.

According to preliminary data, approximately 1,000 Azerbaijani citizens in five countries have submitted evacuation requests:

- United Arab Emirates - 490 people

- Saudi Arabia - 220 people

- Qatar - 200 people

- Bahrain - 23 people

- Kuwait - 26 people.

One of the main evacuation destinations was the UAE, which is a popular tourist destination for Azerbaijani citizens. In particular, as a result of negotiations between the Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Dubai and FlyDubai airline, flights on the Dubai - Baku route were organized after the partial reopening of airspace. Between March 3-5, 755 citizens of the country returned to Azerbaijan on these flights.

Currently, the UAE's airspace has been closed again, and additional planning is underway for the return of the remaining citizens.

Another key evacuation destination was Saudi Arabia. On March 4, a special AZAL flight from the city of Jeddah evacuated 193 Azerbaijani citizens, as well as 9 Georgian citizens and 5 Russian citizens of Azerbaijani origin - a total of 207 people.

In addition, Azerbaijani citizens who were in Qatar, Bahrain, and other cities of Saudi Arabia were transported to Jeddah by buses organized by diplomatic missions. On March 7, another 203 people were evacuated on a Jeddah - Baku flight, including two Russian citizens and one Georgian citizen of Azerbaijani origin.

For Azerbaijani citizens located in Iran, the operational headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers decided to ensure the possibility of unhindered return to the country by land. To date, about 300 Azerbaijani citizens have already crossed the border and returned home.

"Azerbaijan continues to closely monitor the situation in the region and is taking necessary measures to evacuate its citizens," the MFA added.