Qatar, Kuwait ask citizens to leave Lebanon

Kuwait and Qatar have joined other Gulf States in asking their citizens to leave Lebanon, on Wednesday.

The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for all Qatari citizens not to travel to Lebanon, state-run news agency QNA reported.

In a statement released today, the Ministry requested Qatari citizens who are there to “leave for their own safety,” and contact to the Qatari embassy in Beirut to provide them with facilities and assistance to leave the country.

The Kuwait embassy also urged its citizens to take precautions during their travels and to avoid unsafe locations, a press statement that was released to the state-run news agency KUNA said.

It also advised nationals to contact the embassy in order to make the necessary arrangements to “keep them safe and sound.”
The embassy also warned Kuwaitis intending to travel to Lebanon, asking them to re-consider their plans.

The news comes a day after Saudi Arabia and Bahrain issued similar travel alerts regarding Lebanon. The UAE, meanwhile, placed a total ban on its citizens travelling to Lebanon.

The travel alerts were sparked by the Saudi cuts of $4 billion military aid to Lebanon after what it described as Beirut’s failure to back the Sunni kingdom in its spat with Shiite powerhouse Iran, the leading backer of Hezbollah.