India Advises Citizens To Avoid Syria Travel Amid Escalating Rebel Offensive: 'Leave At Earliest'

India has issued a strong advisory urging its citizens to avoid all travel to Syria due to the escalating violence following a major offensive by rebel forces.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) released a travel advisory stating: "In view of the situation prevailing in Syria, Indian nationals are advised to avoid all travel to Syria, until further notification."

Photo Credit: PTI

The advisory further recommended: "Those who can, are advised to leave by the earliest available commercial flights and others are requested to observe utmost precaution about their safety and restrict their movements to the minimum."

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal noted that approximately 90 Indian nationals are currently in Syria, including 14 employed with various UN organisations, according to the news agency ANI.

"We have taken note of the recent escalation in fighting in the north of Syria. We are closely following the situation... Our mission remains in close contact with our nationals for their safety and security," Jaiswal said during a press briefing on Friday.

For Indian nationals still in Syria, the MEA advised maintaining close contact with the Indian Embassy in Damascus. The embassy can be reached via its emergency helpline at +963 993385973, also accessible on WhatsApp, or by email at [email protected] for updates.

This advisory follows an offensive by insurgents, led by the jihadi group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which has seen significant territorial gains, including the capture of Aleppo, Syria's largest city. The offensive has disrupted a long-standing stalemate in Syria's nearly 14-year civil war.

The rebels reportedly aim to advance towards Homs and ultimately Damascus, the stronghold of President Bashar al-Assad's regime. On Thursday, they seized control of the central city of Hama, Syria's fourth-largest city, marking a significant milestone in their campaign.

The capture of Hama paves the way for the insurgents to move on to Homs, a strategic crossroads city. If Homs falls, it would effectively cut off territories under Assad's control, further eroding his power.

Videos shared online show hundreds of residents fleeing Homs overnight as the rebel forces push southward towards the capital, Damascus.