'Leave At The Earliest,' India Issues Travel Advisory For Syria Amid Escalating Tensions

Indians currently in Syria are encouraged to stay in touch with the Indian Embassy in Damascus via their emergency helpline number.

New Delhi:The Indian government issued a travel advisory for Syria on Friday, strongly advising Indian nationals to avoid all travel to the country until further notice. This warning has been issued due to the prevailing situation in Syria, which poses significant risks to travellers.

"In view of the situation prevailing in Syria, Indian nationals are advised to avoid all travel to Syria, until further notification," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated in a press release.

Indians currently in Syria are encouraged to stay in touch with the Indian Embassy in Damascus via their emergency helpline number (also available on WhatsApp) and the email address hoc.damascus@mea.gov.in for updates. Those who are able to do so are advised to leave at the earliest available commercial flights. Others are urged to exercise extreme caution regarding their safety and minimize their movements.

The MEA also emphasised its concern for the safety of Indian nationals in Syria in light of the recent violent escalations. "We have taken note of the recent escalation in fighting in the north of Syria. We are closely following the situation. There are about 90 Indian nationals in Syria, including 14 who are working in various UN organizations. Our Mission remains in close contact with our nationals for their safety and security," Jaiswal stated during a press briefing on Friday.

The violent offensive launched by Syrian rebels has reignited a civil war that had largely remained dormant for years, according to CNN. Since 2020, the front lines have largely stayed the same, with rebel groups confined mainly to a small portion of Idlib province. Reports indicate that hundreds of people fled the central Syrian city of Homs overnight into Friday as anti-regime rebels advanced further south towards the capital, Damascus.

After capturing the city of Hama to the north on Thursday, the rebels aimed at Homs, a key crossroads city. If Homs is captured, it would divide the territories controlled by President Bashar al-Assad into two.

The conflict began in 2011 when Assad attempted to suppress peaceful pro-democracy protests during the Arab Spring. Over 300,000 civilians have been killed in more than a decade of war, according to the United Nations, with millions more displaced across the region, as reported by CNN.(With agency inputs).