ISLAMABAD, (TDI): The Foreign Office issued a travel advisory on Friday, urging Pakistani nationals to refrain from traveling to Syria due to the deteriorating security situation caused by ongoing attacks by Syrian rebel forces.
On Friday, thousands of people fled the central Syrian city of Homs as rebel forces pressed their offensive against government troops, advancing further south.
In his first interview since launching the assault on November 27, the leader of the Syrian faction spearheading the offensive, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) – a group that was formerly affiliated with Al-Qaeda – told CNN that their goal was to “rebuild Syria” and facilitate the return of Syrian refugees from Lebanon and Europe.
HTS leader Abu Mohammed Al-Golani stated that his group has captured two major cities and is now advancing toward Homs, a strategic city linking the capital, Damascus, with Assad’s coastal strongholds.
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After years of stagnation along frozen front lines, the insurgents have surged out of their stronghold in northwestern Idlib, achieving the fastest battlefield advance since the civil war erupted 13 years ago, following the street protests against President Bashar al-Assad.
While Syrian President Assad regained most of the country with the help of his key allies—Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah—these forces have recently been distracted by other crises, giving Syrian Sunni militants a window to counterattack.
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Given the current developments and the volatile situation in Syria, the Foreign Office has advised Pakistani nationals to avoid travel to Syria until the security situation improves.
For those already in Syria, the advisory urged them to exercise extreme caution and stay in contact with the Embassy of Pakistan in Damascus. The advisory also provided the Embassy’s contact details:
Phone numbers: +963 987 127 822, +963 990 138 972
