India on Tuesday evacuated 75 Indian nationals from Syria, after rebel forces overthrew President Bashar Assad's authoritarian government two days ago.
The evacuation, coordinated by the Indian embassies in Damascus and Beirut, was implemented 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 the 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 stated that 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 rule of the Assad family-run 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 a brutal crackdown on his political opponents.
The MEA said on Monday that it is monitoring the unfolding developments in Syria and advocates a peaceful and inclusive Syrian-led political process.
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