Philippines orders citizens to evacuate Iraq after Rodrigo Duterte warns of ‘protracted war’

There are about 7,000 Filipinos in Iraq and more than 1,000 in Iran, many employed as domestic helpers, nurses and construction workers

Iran on Wednesday fired missiles at US troops in Iraq after the targeted assassination of General Qassem Soleimani last week

Reading Time:2 minutes

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. Photo: Reuters

Published: 10:29am, 8 Jan 2020Updated: 3:17pm, 8 Jan 2020

The Philippines has ordered a mandatory evacuation for Filipinos in Iraq, its foreign ministry said on Wednesday, after Iran attacked American forces there in response to a US strike that killed an Iranian general, Qassem Soleimani, last week.

“The Alert Level in the entire Iraq has been raised to Alert Level 4 calling for mandatory evacuation,” said Eduardo Menez, spokesman at the Department of Foreign Affairs.

About 2.3 million people from the Philippines are working in the Middle East as domestic helpers, construction workers, engineers and nurses.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier ordered the armed forces to prepare air and naval assets for the evacuation of Filipinos in Iraq, Iran and nearby Arab countries, his spokesman Salvador Panelo said on Tuesday.

Saying he was deeply worried about the prospect of a “protracted war”, Duterte told reporters he sent a special envoy to Tehran and Baghdad to get assurances that Filipinos would be provided safe passage in case of evacuation.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x