1,162 Indonesian Citizens Are In Syria, The Ministry Of Foreign Affairs Ensures That The Indonesian Embassy In Damascus Has A Contingency Plan

Director of PWNI of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Judha Nugraha when giving an online statement on Thursday (VOI/AFI)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that the Indonesian Embassy in Damascus has contingency plans, as the situation in the country heats up as rebel groups attack.

The Director of Protection for Indonesian Citizens at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Judha Nugraha said the Indonesian Embassy in Damascus had prepared contingency steps for Indonesian citizens (WNI) in the country, along with attacks by rebel groups.

The Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS) group, designated as a terrorist group, carried out attacks and gradually took control of Aleppo on 27 November.

"On December 1, fighting broke out in Idlib, before it spreads with HTS entering several villages in Hama Province on December 4," Judha said.

"As soon as the escalation took place on November 27, we together with related institutions coordinated with the Indonesian Embassy in Damascus and the Indonesian Embassy in the vicinity, to take contingency steps," Judha explained in a statement from Jakarta, Thursday, December 5.

"So currently the Indonesian Embassy in Damascus has a contingency plan, and according to the plan, we have raised the status of several provinces in Syria to alert one," he continued.

Alert status one has been in effect in Aleppo, Idlib, Hama, Dier Zour, Hasaka, Raqqa, Daraa and Suwaida since December 2.

Judha explained that currently there are around 1,162 Indonesian citizens in Syria, with the distribution in Damascus (758 Indonesian citizens), Hasaka (321), Aleppo (29), Latakia (20), Tartus (17), Hama (6) Homs (4) and As Suwayda (1).

"Of that number, most work in the domestic sector, followed by students," explained Judha.

Based on the sources we received, said Judha, approximately 571 people died as a result of the incident from opposition, government, and civilians.

Separately, Judha said a total of 26,188 Indonesian citizens in the Middle East were monitored and continued to communicate with representatives of Indonesia. The details are Gaza (4 people), Israel (231), Lebanon (82 + 1,232 unifil personnel), Egypt (17,113), Syria (1,162), Yemen (4,866), Iraq (796), Jordan (1881) and Sudan (52).