Operation LUMEN
October 20, 2023 - June 5, 2024
Operation LUMEN was the Canadian Armed Forces’ (CAF) support to Global Affairs Canada (GAC) with the potential evacuation or assisted departure of Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and their eligible family members from Lebanon.
Since October 2023, CAF-assisted departures in Tel Aviv resulted in the successful evacuation of more than 1600 Canadian Entitled Persons (Canadian citizens, persons holding legal status in Canada (including visa holders) and designated third-country nationals). CAF members also provided liaison and planning capability to GAC to support multiple crossings at the Gaza-Egypt Rafah border, resulting in the evacuation of approximately 600 Canadians and permanent residents.
How many people are deployed?
At the height of the operation, there were over 400 Canadian Armed Forces personnel deployed in support of this effort, including members from the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Air Force, and Canadian Special Operations Forces Command.
What are they doing?
Global Affairs Canada has specifically requested CAF support in areas such as planning, logistics, liaison, coordination, and other activities for any potential requirement for assisted departures or a non-combatant evacuation operation (NEO).
A Task Force headquarters was stood up in Cyprus and the CAF is integrated into the multinational Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations Coordination Centre (NEOCC), where they are working with Cypriot authorities to be poised to respond in a coordinated fashion should an assisted departure or NEO need to be executed.
Past deployments
Op LION - 2006 - Evacuation from Lebanon
During the summer of 2006, at the request of the Government of Canada, the CAF-assisted with evacuations from Lebanon to Cyprus and Turkey, via contracted maritime ships.
Named Operation LION by the CAF, this Government of Canada operation supported nearly 15,000 Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and their families, as well as foreign nationals, to evacuate Lebanon over a period of several weeks.
Related links
Government of Canada
Other CAF Operations in the Region
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