THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Sunday urged Filipinos in Syria to stay in contact with the Philippine Embassy in Damascus amid reports of the fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
“We express concern regarding the situation of our Filipinos in Syria and advise them to take the necessary precautions and stay in contact with the Philippine Embassy in Damascus,” the DFA said in a statement.
The DFA’s call for vigilance comes after Syrian rebels declared that they have overthrown Assad and seized control of Damascus, the capital city. The rebels, who have been fighting for years to oust Assad, claim to have entered the capital with no sign of army deployments.
Thousands of people in Damascus have reportedly gathered in a main square, waving and chanting “Freedom” from a half century of Assad family rule. Witnesses have also reported seeing people inside the Al-Rawda Presidential Palace, with some leaving carrying furniture.
The rebels have also claimed to have freed prisoners from a large jail on the outskirts of Damascus, where the Syrian government detained thousands. “We celebrate with the Syrian people the news of freeing our prisoners and releasing their chains,” the rebels said.
The fall of Assad’s regime marks a major turning point in the Syrian Civil War, which has been raging for over a decade. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions more.
The DFA has urged all concerned parties to exercise restraint and refrain from further violence to avert further casualties and deaths of civilians.
Filipinos in Syria can reach out to the Philippine Embassy in Damascus at 0949-155557, 0949-155567, or at pe.damascus@gmail.com.
The DFA said it continues to monitor the situation in Syria.
metrosundaily
