India has evacuated 75 of its nationals from Syria following the unrest in the wake of the ouster of the Bashar al-Assad regime by opposition forces there.
“The evacuees included 44 ‘zaireen’ (pilgrims) from Jammu & Kashmir who were stranded at Saida Zainab. All Indian nationals have safely crossed over to Lebanon and will return by available commercial flights to India,” the Ministry of External Affairs said.
The evacuation, coordinated by the embassies of India in Damascus and Beirut, was put into effect following India’s assessment of the security situation and requests from Indian nationals in Syria.
“The Government of India accords the highest priority to the safety and security of Indian nationals abroad. Indian nationals remaining in Syria are advised to stay in touch with the Indian Embassy in Damascus,” the MEA added.
India has been continuously monitoring the developments in Syria following the fall of the Assad regime. It has called for a peaceful and inclusive Syrian-led political process respecting the interests and aspirations of all sections of Syrian society.
“We are monitoring the situation in Syria in the light of ongoing developments. We underline the need for all parties to work towards preserving the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Syria,” the MEA said on Monday.
The MEA issued an advisory on Friday night advising Indian nationals to avoid all travel to Syria until further notice in view of the prevailing situation there.
Indians in Syria are advised to remain in touch with the Indian Embassy in Damascus. Those, who could, were advised to leave the country by the earliest available commercial flights.