83 Indonesian Citizens Immediately Evacuated From Syria, Ministry Of Foreign Affairs Traces News Of Joining HTS

The arrival of Indonesian citizens who were evacuated from Syria. (Source: Okta/Infomed/Kemlu RI)

JAKARTA - Director of Protection for Indonesian Citizens (WNI) of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Judha Nugraha said that 83 Indonesian citizens were immediately evacuated from Syria, following the conflict that occurred in the country, after previously two waves of repatriation had arrived in Jakarta.

Judha said the latest data showed that around 83 Indonesian citizens were immediately evacuated from Syria, after previously a total of 65 Indonesian citizens were successfully repatriated to the country.

"That's what we are trying to do in one wave and can at the same time be returned to Indonesia," Judha said in a press statement in Jakarta, Monday, December 16.

"We are still waiting and seeing, the data collection process is still being carried out, to anticipate Indonesian citizens who may live in employers' homes and cannot contact the Indonesian Embassy," he added.

Syria's domestic conditions have been heating up since late November, when rebel groups launched attacks on a number of cities. At its peak, the Syrian rebel group led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) managed to take control of the capital Damascus and knocked President Assad down on December 8.

Judha further explained that the Indonesian Embassy in Damascus is still fully operational to provide protection for Indonesian citizens.

"Regarding the possibility of our Indonesian citizens joining HTS, we are still monitoring and looking for the data," explained Judha.

Regarding the presence of Indonesian citizens who did not want to be evacuated, Judha said the number was still up and down, especially humans.

He explained that those who had initially registered for evacuation due to tensions on December 8, canceled their intention to be evacuated after the situation was deemed safe.

"According to Law No. 37 of 1999, the task of the Government is to facilitate evacuation, but whether it is an option to evacuate or not to return to each individual," said Judha.

The evacuation process itself was carried out with Indonesian citizens first collected and kept at the Shelter of the Indonesian Embassy in Damascus, to then collect data, complete travel documents, before the coordination meeting with related parties in accredited countries.

Then, Indonesian citizens moved from Damascus to Beirut, Lebanon by covering a distance of 108 kilometers for approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Arriving in Beirut, Indonesian citizens were kept in the Shelter of the Indonesian Embassy in Beirut to wait for flight time. Upon his return time, Indonesian citizens were flown by commercial aircraft from Rafiq Hariri Airport in stages.