Foreign Ministry recommends Russians refrain from travelling to Mideast countries

MOSCOW. Oct 20 (Interfax) - The Russian Foreign Ministry has recommended that Russian citizens refrain from travelling to several Middle Eastern countries over the escalation of hostilities in the region.

"The situation in the Middle East is heating up. The shelling of Israeli territory, missile strikes upon the northern and other parts of the Gaza Strip, and armed incidents along the Blue Line between Lebanon and Israel are continuing. The number of fatalities and injuries is growing. Mass protests have been held around the world," the ministry said on Friday.

"In this light, we strongly recommend Russian citizen refrain from travelling to the region, especially to Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, and the Palestinian territories. While travelling in said countries, exercise maximum caution and step up personal security measures, avoid areas of clashes and risk, and follow recommendations by local authorities and announcements by Russian missions abroad," it said.

The ministry is continuing to work with the Egyptian and Israeli governments to ensure that Russian citizens who have appealed for assistance in their evacuation can leave the Gaza Strip, it said.

"The opportunity to depart Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, and other countries using scheduled flights of airlines remains. About 6,000 people have arrived in Russia from Tel Aviv since October 9," it said.