CANBERRA, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday that the government is facing one of its biggest consular crises to repatriate over 100,000 citizens from the Middle East.
Penny Wong told Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) radio that the government is exploring contingency arrangements for around 115,000 citizens stranded in the Middle East due to travel disruptions amid the current situation, but that commercial flights would be the best repatriation option.
"This is a consular crisis that dwarfs any that Australia has had to deal with in terms of numbers of people," she said.
News Corp Australia newspapers reported on Wednesday that the Department of Defense has established a special task force to support potential evacuations from the Middle East, with army personnel put on alert for overseas deployment if Australians come under threat.
Richard Marles, minister for defense and deputy prime minister, told reporters on Tuesday that the government was preparing for all scenarios to repatriate citizens. ■