On Friday, India advised its nationals to refrain from all trips to Syria, pointing to the rising violence after a significant assault by rebel troops.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a travel advisory, stating, “In view of the situation prevailing in Syria, Indian nationals are advised to avoid all travel to Syria, until further notification.”
“Those who can, are advised to leave by the earliest available commercial flights and others are requested to observe utmost precaution about their safety and restrict their movements to the minimum,” the MEA added.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that there are approximately 90 Indian citizens in Syria, with 14 employed in different UN agencies, as reported by news agency ANI.
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“We have acknowledged the recent rise in hostilities in northern Syria.” We are monitoring the situation attentively… “Our goal continues to be maintaining strong communication with our citizens to ensure their safety and security,” Jaiswal stated during a press briefing on Friday.
The MEA advised Indians in Syria to stay in regular communication with the Indian Embassy in Damascus. The embassy is accessible through its emergency helpline at +963 993385973, which is also on WhatsApp, and via email at hoc.damascus@mea.gov.in for information.
The alert arises as militants, spearheaded by the extremist organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), initiated a significant assault, seizing multiple crucial cities, such as Aleppo, the largest in Syria. The attack has disrupted a prolonged impasse in the almost 14-year-old Syrian civil conflict.
The insurgents are said to intend to advance towards Homs and eventually Damascus, where President Bashar al-Assad’s government is located.
On Thursday, insurgent groups pushed further into Syrian land, seizing the central city of Hama, which is the nation’s fourth-largest urban area.
The triumph in Hama represented a strategic turning point for the rebels, who have now focused their attention on Homs, an important crossroads city. Capturing Homs would essentially divide the areas controlled by Assad, thereby diminishing his hold on power.
Footage shared online depicted numerous residents escaping Homs during the night, as anti-regime fighters advanced southward on the route to the capital, Damascus.
