New Delhi, December 11
Syria Civil War: India on Tuesday evacuated 75 of its citizens from Syria, two days after rebel forces overthrew the dictatorial government of President Bashar al-Assad. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed the successful operation and said the Indian nationals have crossed into Lebanon safely and will soon return to India via commercial flights.
“Those evacuated include 44 ‘zareens’ from Jammu and Kashmir who were stranded in Saida Zainab,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in an official statement. All Indian nationals have safely crossed into Lebanon and will return via commercial flights available to India.”
India’s embassies in Damascus and Beirut coordinated the operation, prioritizing the safety of its citizens in the conflict-torn country. The ministry has urged Indian nationals still in Syria to stay in touch with the embassy in Damascus for updates. They are advised to contact the emergency helpline number (+963 993385973) or email (hoc.damascus@mea.gov.in).
The situation in Syria escalated sharply after the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) seized control of Damascus, marking the end of nearly 14 years of rule by Bashar al-Assad and five decades of rule by the Assad family. Assad fled the country and reportedly sought asylum in Russia. – IANS