ASTANA – Amid escalating military conflict in the Middle East, neighboring countries, such as Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, assist Kazakhstan in evacuating its citizens from high-risk zones, offering transit routes and humanitarian aid.
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On June 13, Kazakhstan’s Civil Aviation Committee of the Ministry of Transport imposed a full ban on flights over and near the airspace of Iran, Israel, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon until further notice. This safety measure was implemented after a series of airstrikes between Israel and Iran, which resulted in significant casualties – over 224 people killed in Iran and at least 16 in Israel, with many more injured, according to CNN.
Following the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Iran, flights from several countries in the region, including the United Arab Emirates, were suspended on June 13, affecting hundreds of Kazakh tourists.
Two flights operated by FlyDubai landed in Almaty on June 15, carrying 332 Kazakh citizens. These included both passengers who were unable to leave Dubai on June 13 and others scheduled to travel as planned.
In addition to the flights, alternative evacuation routes are being used. A group of six Kazakh citizens crossed into Azerbaijan from Iran through the Astara border checkpoint. Medical assistance and meals were provided at the crossing point, according to report.az.
Turkmenistan has also played a crucial role by allowing transit through its territory. Approximately 120 people, including Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Uzbek, Tajik, and Romanian nationals, were evacuated from Iran through border checkpoints with Turkmenistan. Humanitarian aid, including transport, food, accommodations, and essential supplies, has been provided, reported Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on June 16.
