A Non-combatant Evacuation Operation (NEO) is an operation conducted to evacuate civilians from another country, generally due to a deteriorating security situation.
Australia 2021 - Afghanistan
China 2015 - Yemen: (Houthi takeover in Yemen)
Germany 1997 - Operation Libelle: Albania 2011 - Operation Pegasus (2011): Libya
Greece 1993 – Operation Golden Fleece: Abkhazia, Georgia (War in Abkhazia (1992–1993)) 1997 – Operation Kosmas: Albania (1997 Albanian civil unrest) 2006 - Operation Kedros: Lebanon (2006 Lebanon War) 2023 - Evacuation from Khartoum: Sudan (Sudanese civil war) 2024 - Operation Kosmos: Lebanon (2024 Israeli invasion of Lebanon)
India 1990 - 1990 airlift of Indians from Kuwait: Kuwait (Gulf War) 2006 - Operation Sukoon: Lebanon (2006 Lebanon War) 2011 - Operation Safe Homecoming: Libya (First Libyan Civil War) 2015 - Operation Raahat: Yemen 2016 - Operation Sankat Mochan: Juba, South Sudan (Battle of Juba) 2021 - Operation Devi Shakti: Kabul, Afghanistan (2021 Taliban offensive) 2022 - Operation Ganga: Ukraine (2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine)
Ireland (Republic of) 2011 - Libya (First Libyan Civil War) 2021 - 2021 Kabul airlift
Israel 1948-1953 - Operation Goshen: Egypt 1949-1950 - Operation Magic Carpet (Yemen): Yemen 1951-1952 - Operation Ezra and Nehemiah: Iraq 1961 - Operation Mural: Morocco 1961-1964 - Operation Yachin: Morocco 1984-1985 - Operation Moses: Sudan 1985 - Operation Joshua: Sudan 1991 - Operation Solomon: Ethiopia
Pakistan 2015 - Yemen
Thailand 2003 - Operation Pochentong 1: Cambodia (Phnom Penh riots)
Ukraine 1993 - Evacuation of Georgian civilians in the mountains of Svaneti: Georgia (War in Abkhazia) 1995 - Evacuation of Bosnian civilians in Siege of Žepa: Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosnian War) 2021 - 2021 Kabul airlift
United Kingdom 2000 - Operation Palliser: Sierra Leone (Sierra Leone Civil War) 2006 - Operation Highbrow: Lebanon (2006 Lebanon War) 2021 - Operation Pitting: Kabul, Afghanistan (2021 Taliban offensive)
United States
According to United States Military Joint Publication 3-68, Noncombatant Evacuation Operations:
"Noncombatant evacuation operations (NEOs) are conducted to assist the Department of State (DOS) in evacuating noncombatants, nonessential military personnel, selected host-nation citizens, and third country nationals whose lives are in danger from locations in a host foreign nation to an appropriate safe haven and/or the United States.
NEOs usually involve swift insertions of a force, temporary occupation of an objective, and a planned withdrawal upon completion of the mission.
During NEOs, the US Ambassador is the senior authority for the evacuation and is ultimately responsible for the successful completion of the NEO and the safety of the evacuees. The Ambassador speaks with the authority of the President and serves as direct representative on site."
This means that at times American citizens may become endangered in locations outside of the United States. This is usually due to civil unrest or war. However, it may also be due to a natural disaster. The U.S. Ambassador has the responsibility, according to law, to request a NEO. Once he does, the government will determine whether or not the evacuation should be done with civilian resources, such as the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF), or with military forces. Even if military forces conduct the evacuation, the Ambassador remains in charge of the evacuation.
The method of evacuation could include sealift, airlift, or even by road.
Notable operations 1975 – Operation Frequent Wind: Fall of Saigon, Vietnam War 1976 – Operation Fluid Drive: Lebanese Civil War 1990 – Operation Sharp Edge: Liberia 1991 – Operation Eastern Exit: Somalia 1991 – Operation Fiery Vigil: Clark Air Base and U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay, Philippines (1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo) 1992 – Operation Silver Anvil: Sierra Leone 1994 – Operation Tiger Rescue: Yemen 1994 – Operation Distant Runner: Rwanda 1996 – Operation Assured Response: Liberia 1996 – Operation Quick Response: Central African Republic 1997 – Operation Silver Wake: Albania 1997 – Operation Noble Obelisk: Sierra Leone 1998 – Operation Safe Departure: Asmara, Eritrea (Eritrean–Ethiopian War) 1998 – Operation Shepherd Venture: Bissau, Guinea-Bissau (Guinea-Bissau Civil War) 2002 – Operation Shepherd Sentry: Bangui, Central African Republic (political and military unrest leading up to the Central African Republic Bush War) 2002 – Operation Autumn Return: Yamoussoukro, Côte d'Ivoire (First Ivorian Civil War) 2003 – Operation Shining Express: Monrovia, Liberia (Second Liberian Civil War) 2006 – 2006 Lebanon War 2010 – Operation Tacit Drift: 2010 Kingston Unrest - Jamaica 2011 – Operation Pacific Passage: Tōhoku region, Japan (2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami) 2011 – Operation Odyssey Dawn: various locations within Libya: (Libyan Crisis) 2014 – Libya 2017 - 2017 Dutch St. Maarten NEO after Hurricane Irma 2021 - Operation Allies Refuge: Kabul, Afghanistan (2021 Taliban offensive) 2023 – Sudan
References
External links US Military Publication for Noncombatant Evacuation Operation