'Leave at...earliest': India's urgent advisory for its citizens in Syria
What's the story
The Indian government has issued an urgent travel advisory for its citizens in Syria, asking them to leave the country at the earliest as violence escalates.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) released a statement late on Friday night, advising Indian nationals to "avoid all travel to Syria until further notice."
The advisory comes in the wake of a major rebel offensive against the Bashar al-Assad regime.
Embassy contact
MEA provides contact details for Indian embassy in Damascus
"Those who can, are advised to leave (Syria) 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 notification read.
It also advised Indians in Syria to stay in touch with the Indian Embassy in Damascus.
The embassy can be contacted at an emergency helpline number, +963 993385973 (also available on WhatsApp), and on email at hoc.damascus@mea.gov.in.
Twitter Post
Late night advisory
Travel advisory for Syria:https://t.co/bOnSP3tS03 pic.twitter.com/zg1AH7n6RB
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) December 6, 2024
Strategic victories
Rebel forces capture key cities in Syria
The situation in Syria has worsened quickly as Islamist-led rebels, including the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, have launched a swift offensive.
Several key cities have fallen out of government control for the first time since the civil war began in 2011.
Aleppo and Hama have already been captured by rebel forces, marking significant strategic victories.
The rebels are now advancing toward Homs, a crucial city that could sever Assad's control between Damascus and the Mediterranean coast.
Regime change
Rebel forces aim to end Assad's rule
HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani said their objective is "the overthrow of this regime," hoping to end Assad's rule.
The conflict has displaced at least 370,000 people since November 27, United Nations reports said.
The MEA said there are around 90 Indian nationals in Syria, including 14 employed with UN organizations.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal assured, "Our mission remains in close contact with our nationals for their safety and security."