India evacuates 75 citizens as rebel forces overthrow Assad regime in Syria

By Anjali Sharma

WASHINGTON – India Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday said that India evacuated 75 of its nationals from Syria two days after rebel forces overthrew President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

The evacuation was carried out after a rapidly deteriorating security situation in Syria after the collapse of the Assad regime.

Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the successful operation, stating that the evacuees had safely crossed over to Lebanon and would soon return to India via commercial flights.

“The evacuees included 44 ‘zaireen’ 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 MEA said in an official statement.

India’s embassies in Damascus and Beirut coordinated the operation, prioritizing the safety of its citizens in the conflict-ridden nation.

“The Government of India accords the highest priority to the safety and security of Indian nationals abroad,” the statement added.

MEA also urged Indian nationals still in Syria to stay connected with the Embassy in Damascus for updates. They were advised to reach out via the emergency helpline number (+963 993385973) or email (hoc.damascus@mea.gov.in).

The situation in Syria escalated rapidly after rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham seized control of Damascus, marked the end of Bashar al-Assad’s 14-year rule and the Assad family’s five-decade dominance.

Assad fled the country and reportedly sought asylum in Moscow.

MEA called for a peaceful and inclusive political transition in Syria.

“India is monitoring the situation closely and advocate for a resolution led by the Syrian people,” it said.