Foreign Office urges Pakistanis to avoid traveling to Syria

The Foreign Office issued a travel advisory on Friday, urging Pakistan nationals to avoid traveling to Syria as the security situation in the country is worrisome due to the attacks launched by Syrian rebel forces.

On Friday, thousands of people fled the central Syrian city of Homs as rebel forces sought to push their lightning offensive against government forces further south.

The head of the Syrian faction leading the sweeping assault told CNN that his group – a former Al-Qaeda affiliate now known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) – aimed to “build Syria” and bring Syrian refugees back home from Lebanon and Europe.

It was Abu Mohammed Al-Golani’s first interview since his group began seizing territory from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces on November 27. Rebels have captured two major cities so far and are now thrusting toward Homs, a key crossroads city linking the capital Damascus to Assad’s coastal heartlands.

After years locked behind frozen front lines, the insurgents have burst out of their northwestern Idlib bastion to reel off the swiftest battlefield advance by either side since a street uprising against Assad mushroomed into civil war 13 years ago.

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Assad regained control of most of Syria after his key allies – Russia, Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah group – came to his support. But all have recently been diverted by other crises, giving Syrian Sunni Muslim militants a window to fight back.

In view of the recent developments and evolving situation in Syria,” Foreign Office advised Pakistanis to avoid traveling to Syria until the situation improves.

“Those currently in Syria are advised to exercise extreme caution and remain in contact with the Embassy of Pakistan in Damascus,” the advisory read.

The advisory also contained contact details of the Embassy:

Phone numbers: +963 987 127 822, +963 990 138 972

Email: [email protected]