India Urges Citizens to Exit Syria Amid Escalating Rebel Offensive: Travel Advisory Issued

India Urges Citizens to Exit Syria Amid Escalating Rebel Offensive: Travel Advisory Issued

Indian citizens were cautioned against traveling to Syria by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday because of the increased violence and instability in the region. “Given the situation prevailing in Syria, Indian nationals are advised to avoid all travel to Syria, until further notification,” stated the MEA.

Advisory for Indians in Syria

Additionally, the alert urged Indians who are presently in Syria to use care, look for safe havens, and depart the nation as soon as possible on commercial aircraft. Residents were urged to maintain contact with the Indian Embassy in Damascus using the hoc.damascus@mea.gov.in email address and the emergency helpline at +963 993385973, which is also reachable via WhatsApp. The MEA also promised that the well-being and security of the around 90 Indian residents in Syria, including 14 who are utilized by UN organizations, will keep on being a main concern for the Indian mission in Damascus.

Escalation of Violence in Syria

Following a significant assault against President Bashar al-Assad’s military last week by the Islamist rebel organization Hayat Tahrir Al-Joke (HTS), the fights developed more serious. The gathering’s fruitful breaks of government fortresses in a few regions caused a tremendous change in the extended common struggle in Syria. Interestingly starting from the beginning of the contention in 2011, the Syrian Armed force recognized on Thursday that it had failed to keep a grip on the imperative city of Hama. That’s what they said “Psychological militant gatherings penetrated a few tomahawks and entered the city,” which prompted savage road battles.

Mass Displacement and Expanding Conflict

As a result of the violence, thousands of people have fled Homs, the third-largest city in Syria. Additionally, rebel troops took control of areas close to Aleppo and moved toward Hama, which prompted a government military response. However, Assad’s military, which is overburdened by wars elsewhere, has been severely tested by the rebels’ well-coordinated attack.

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International Response

Syrian and Russian air forces retaliated by attacking rebel positions in the provinces of Aleppo and Idlib. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), headquartered in the UK, claimed airstrikes against newly rebel-captured rural areas of Idlib and Hama. The situation is still unstable as Assad’s forces try to reorganize and rebel groups step up their operations to retake areas that are under government control. The significance of the MEA’s warning, which urges Indian people to put their safety first and stay away from the area, is highlighted by the rising violence.