TEN Filipinos sought shelter in the Philippine Embassy in Syria on Sunday amid uncertainty generated by the fall of President Bassar al-Assad’s regime.
Chargé d’affaires John Reyes said the 10 felt anxious because of the developments.
Reyes said there are 703 Filipinos in Syria, majority of them living in the capital city of Damascus. Some of the Filipinos are also married to Syrian nationals.
“They are safe and in good condition,” he said in Filipino, adding none of the Filipinos there have expressed intention to be repatriated.
Earlier, the Department of Foreign Affairs urged Filipinos in Syria to maintain communications with the embassy amid the ongoing tension in the country due to the ouster of Assad.
Reyes said Filipinos in Syria may reach out to the embassy at 0949-155557, 0949-155567, or at pe.damascus@gmail.com.
Syrian rebels seized Damascus on Sunday, following 13 years of civil war and more than 50 years of brutal rule of Al-Assad’s family.
Assad’s fall wiped out a bastion from which Iran and Russia exercised influence across the Arab world.
Moscow gave asylum to Assad and his family, Russian media reported and Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s ambassador to international organizations in Vienna, said on his Telegram channel on Sunday.
