Canadian military preparing for possible evacuation from Lebanon
By The Canadian Press on October 20, 2023.
OTTAWA – The Canadian Armed Forces says it is getting ready for the possibility that it will need to help bring Canadians out of Lebanon, with Global Affairs Canada advising against all travel to that country. Lebanese militant organization Hezbollah and allied Palestinian groups have launched daily missile strikes on northern Israel since the latest Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 7, with Israel shelling border areas in south Lebanon in return. Maj.-Gen. Darcy Molstad, deputy commander of the Canadian Joint Operations Command, says military officials are in Lebanon, Israel, Cyprus and Greece to prepare for a civilian evacuation if need be. The assistant deputy minister in charges of consular cases at Global Affairs Canada says about 1,450 Canadians are registered as being in Lebanon But Julie Sunday is urging those Canadians to get on commercial flights out of Beirut while they still can. She says she understands these are “really difficult decisions to make,” but the best advice the government can give is that it is time for Canadians in Lebanon to come back home. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 20, 2023. 8-7
