Over 2000 Moroccans leave war-torn Ukraine

By March 1 at noon,  over 2000 Moroccans, mostly students, managed to leave the Ukrainian territory to neighboring countries, Moroccan foreign ministry said.

Most crossings took place in Poland, followed by Romania, Slovakia and Hungary as Morocco dislocated its embassy and consular staff to Lviv, about 70 kilometers south of the Polish border.

Prior to the start of the Russian invasion on Feb 24, Morocco has urged its citizens to leave Ukraine.

On Feb 27, Morocco’s flag carrier announced an airlift operation scheduling exceptional flights with affordable rates of $70 (750 DH) to transport Moroccans who fled Ukraine through neighboring countries.

The airline said it would also transport Mauritanian students who had to leave Ukraine.

The Russian military campaign on Ukraine has forced nearly 400,000 people to seek refuge in neighboring countries.

The media have spoken about discrimination against non-European refugees fleeing Ukraine, notably Africans.

Nigeria and South Africa have expressed alarm at reports that their nationals are being stopped from leaving Ukraine.