75 Indians evacuated from Syria, moved to Lebanon
What's the story
The Indian government has successfully evacuated 75 of its citizens from Syria after rebel forces recently overthrew President Bashar al-Assad and are set to form a new government.
In a late-night press release, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the evacuees have safely crossed into Lebanon, and they will return to India on commercial flights.
Evacuation process
Evacuation details and future plans
The evacuation was coordinated by the Indian embassies in Damascus and Beirut after assessing the security situation in Syria.
Among those evacuated were 44 pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir stranded at Saida Zainab.
"The Government of India accords the highest priority to the safety and security of Indian nationals abroad," the MEA reiterated and asked those remaining in Syria to stay in touch with the Indian Embassy in Damascus at their emergency helpline number +963 993385973 and email ID (hoc.damascus@mea.gov.in).
Political upheaval
Rebel forces overthrow Syrian government
Rebel forces, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, captured Damascus on Sunday after a swift 12-day offensive. This marked the end of Assad's nearly 14-year rule.
Before the rebel's takeover, Assad had fled to Russia and has reportedly been granted asylum there.
The rebels have appointed Mohammad al-Bashir as the transitional prime minister till March 1.
Diplomatic efforts
US urges inclusive process for transitional government
Reports indicate that the United States has contacted the rebels, asking them to conduct an inclusive process to form a transitional government.
"The United States will work with our partners and the stakeholders in Syria to help them seize an opportunity to manage the risks," President Joe Biden said.
President-elect Donald Trump, however, hinted that, under his administration, the US would cease any involvement in Syria's long-running civil war, stating that "Syria is not our friend."