Sweden orders Embassy staff to evacuate Lebanon, relocate to Cyprus

The embassy of Sweden has confirmed to CNA that it is relocating its staff from its Embassy in Beirut due to the deteriorating security situation in the country, noting this originally applies for August but could be extended according to the situation in the region.

To a question by CNA over a news report by AFP on Saturday which referred to statements by the Swedish Foreign Affairs Minister on Swedish radio that the Foreign Ministry has instructed its staff to leave Beirut and travel to Cyprus, and the foreign ministry is planning a temporary relocation of its embassy", Bengt Baedecke on behalf of the Embassy of Sweden, Nicosia said the staff is temporarily leaving Lebanon.

"In view of the deteriorating security situation in the region and of the safety of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs staff, Sweden’s posted officials at the Embassy in Beirut are temporarily leaving Lebanon", the official told CNA.

He further said that "n 1 August, the Ministry instructed posted officials at the Embassy of Sweden in Lebanon to leave Beirut and travel to Cyprus" as "the Ministry plans to temporarily relocate the Embassy".

The relocation "initially applies for the month of August, but may be extended, depending on the security situation", he said, adding "the Ministry for Foreign Affairs is monitoring events closely and the security situation is under continuous analysis".