Uzbekistan has evacuated more than 9,300 citizens from several Middle Eastern countries amid regional tensions, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan.
Between March 1 and March 5 at 10:00 a.m., a total of 9,361 Uzbek citizens were returned to the country through organized evacuation measures. Most evacuees were transported from Saudi Arabia, where 8,114 citizens were brought home through regular and additional charter flights. Another 1,192 citizens returned from the United Arab Emirates.
Smaller groups were evacuated from other countries, including 23 citizens from Iran, 25 from Bahrain and seven from Oman. Officials said evacuation operations are being carried out in stages, primarily from countries where airspace remains open for civil aviation. Additional flights will be organized once airspace restrictions in other countries are lifted.
Diplomatic officials in Doha also met with Uzbek citizens currently in Qatar and began preparing mechanisms for their return, Dunyo reported. Authorities said measures are being developed to repatriate 71 Uzbek citizens currently aboard the Celestine Cruises ship in Doha.
Embassy representatives visited several hotels in the city to collect information on Uzbek citizens temporarily staying there and compile evacuation lists to coordinate potential return operations.
Earlier reports indicated that more than 5,000 Uzbek citizens had already been evacuated from the region by March 4.
The evacuation efforts were organized following instructions from Shavkat Mirziyoyev to ensure the safe return of citizens stranded in Gulf countries. The Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan coordinated with domestic and foreign airlines to arrange evacuation flights.
Flights from Uzbek cities to destinations including Dubai, Sharjah, Medina, Doha, Jeddah, Tel Aviv, Tehran and Kuwait were suspended from February 28 after tensions in the Middle East led to temporary airspace closures.
Authorities said evacuation operations will continue as airspace conditions in the region allow.
