Fed: Embassy trying to get more Austs out of Lebanon

AAP General News (Australia)
08-01-2006
Fed: Embassy trying to get more Austs out of Lebanon

The government is scrambling to evacuate hundreds more Australians from Lebanon ..

before a brief Israeli halt on air strikes ends.

Foreign Minister ALEXANDER DOWNER says the Australian embassy in Beirut is chartering
taxis and buses to get up to 300 Australians out of the country during the 48-hour reprieve.

Villagers are fleeing the south during the break .. agreed to by Israel after the international
outcry over its strike on Qana that killed more than 50 civilians .. most of them children.

Mr DOWNER's told ABC radio .. it's not going to be easy getting all the Australians
out before the deadline's up .. because of ongoing fighting.

AAP RTV rp/jmt

KEYWORD: MIDEAST DOWNER (CANBERRA)

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