At least 75 Indians have been evacuated from war-torn Syria where the rebels have toppled the Bashar al-Assad government and are set to form a government on their own. The Indian nationals have safely crossed to Lebanon and will return by commercial flights to India, the External Affairs Ministry said late last night.

The ministry said the evacuees included 44 ‘zaireen’ (pilgrims) from Jammu and Kashmir, who were stranded at Saida Zainab.

The development follows requests from Indian nationals in Syria and an assessment of the security situation, the ministry said, adding that the Indian embassies in Damascus and Beirut coordinated the evacuation.

Some Indians, however, remain in Syria. The government has advised them to stay in touch with the embassy in Damascus via the helpline number +963 993385973, also on WhatsApp, and email ID hoc.damascus@mea.gov.in.

Rebel forces, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, captured capital Damascus on Sunday after a lightning 12-day offensive, ending five decades of brutal rule by the Assad clan. Assad, a Kremlin ally, fled to Russia before the rebels breached his palace and has reportedly been granted asylum.

Mohammad al-Bashir, who has been appointed the transitional prime minister by the rebels till March 1, has called for “stability and calm”, in his first interview with Al Jazeera television.

At least 75 Indians have been evacuated from war-torn Syria where the rebels have toppled the Bashar al-Assad government and are set to form a government on their own. The Indian nationals have safely crossed to Lebanon and will return by commercial flights to India, the External Affairs Ministry said late last night.

The ministry said the evacuees included 44 ‘zaireen’ (pilgrims) from Jammu and Kashmir, who were stranded at Saida Zainab.

The development follows requests from Indian nationals in Syria and an assessment of the security situation, the ministry said, adding that the Indian embassies in Damascus and Beirut coordinated the evacuation.

Some Indians, however, remain in Syria. The government has advised them to stay in touch with the embassy in Damascus via the helpline number +963 993385973, also on WhatsApp, and email ID hoc.damascus@mea.gov.in.

Rebel forces, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, captured capital Damascus on Sunday after a lightning 12-day offensive, ending five decades of brutal rule by the Assad clan. Assad, a Kremlin ally, fled to Russia before the rebels breached his palace and has reportedly been granted asylum.

Mohammad al-Bashir, who has been appointed the transitional prime minister by the rebels till March 1, has called for “stability and calm”, in his first interview with Al Jazeera television.

Reports suggest the US has reached out to the rebels and urged them to run an inclusive process to form a transitional government instead of assuming automatic leadership. An official said the Biden administration in the US is also in touch with Donald Trump’s team over the matter.

Trump had earlier called Syria a “mess” and said the US should not be involved.

New Delhi:

India on Tuesday evacuated 75 Indian nationals from Syria, two days after rebel forces overthrew President Bashar Assad’s authoritarian government.

The evacuation, coordinated by the embassies of India in Damascus and Beirut, was put into effect following an assessment of the security situation, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

“The Government of India today evacuated 75 Indian nationals from Syria, following recent developments in that country,” it said in a late-night statement.

“The evacuees included 44 ‘zaireen’ from Jammu and 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,” it said.

The MEA said the government 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,” it said.

“The government will continue to monitor the situation closely,” the MEA added.

The Syrian government collapsed on Sunday as the rebels seized control of the capital Damascus after capturing several other prominent cities and towns. Assad fled the country after the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) took control of Damascus, marking the end of his family’s 50-year rule.

Russian state media reported that Assad is in Moscow and will be given asylum. His nearly 14-year tenure was marked by civil war, bloodshed and brutal crackdown on his political opponents.

The MEA Monday said it is monitoring the unfolding developments in Syria and advocated a peaceful and inclusive Syrian-led political process going forward in that country.

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