Rebels Closer To Damascus, Jordan And Iraq Ask Citizens To Leave Syria

Syria's Aleppo condition amid a government military war with rebels/PHOTO via X The White Helmets @SyriaCivivilDef

JAKARTA - The governments of Jordan and Iraq have appealed to their citizens to leave Syria amid developments in the military escalation.

Jordan's Foreign Ministry urged its citizens to evacuate as soon as possible due to civil war in Syria.

Reported by ANTARA from Anadolu, Saturday, December 7, the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs formed a crisis team tasked with evacuating Jordanian citizens and ensuring they returned safely to the kingdom.

Meanwhile, the Iraqi Embassy in Damascus urged its citizens wishing to leave Syria to contact diplomatic facilities to help them return to Iraq.

In a statement quoted by the Iraqi state news agency (INA), the embassy asked Iraqis in Syria who wish to leave to register to facilitate travel, along with their Syrian wives, or Iraqi girls who have husband and citizen.

In addition to Jordan and Iraq, Russia through its embassy on Friday also appealed to its citizens "to leave Syria using commercial aircraft from airports that are still operating," due to the deteriorating military and political situation in the country.

Most recently, Syrian rebels claimed control of the southern city of Daraa on Saturday. Daraa became the birthplace of the 2011 uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.

Sources in rebels said the Syrian military agreed to withdraw from Daraa based on a deal that gave military officials a safe way to the capital Damascus, about 100 km (60 miles) north.

Reported by Reuters, Saturday, December 7, videos on social media showed rebels riding motorbikes and others mingling with residents on the streets. People opened fire into the air in the city's main square to celebrate, according to the video.

There has been no immediate comment from the military or the Assad government. Reuters was unable to independently verify rebel claims.

With the fall of Daraa, Assad's troops have handed over four important centers to the rebels in the kick.

Daraa, who had a population of more than 100,000 people before the civil war began 13 years ago, has symbolic interests as the birthplace of the uprising.

This is the provincial capital of about 1 million people, bordering Jordan.