The Indonesian government has evacuated Indonesian citizens affected by the conflict in Syria.

“On December 12, 2024, a total of 37 Indonesians consisting of 35 Indonesians and 2 staff accompanying the Indonesian Embassy in Damascus, have arrived safely in the country on Tuesday, December 12, 2024. They arrived in three different flights,” the Indonesia Foreign Ministry said in a statement as quoted on Sunday, December 15, 2024.

The Indonesian citizens were evacuated by land from the Syrian capital of Damascus to Beirut in Lebanon on December 10, 2024 and then flown by commercial flights to Jakarta. They had come from several regions, namely West Java, West Nusa Tenggara, Banten, and Lampung.

The government has now planned to facilitate the evacuation of the second wave of Indonesians from Syria. To date, 97 Indonesian citizens have expressed their willingness to participate in the evacuation process.

Responding to the security situation in Syria after the fall of Bashar Asad's government, the Indonesian Embassy in Damascus has set the Alert I status for the entire Syrian territory on December 7, 2024. Several protection measures have been taken by the government, including intensive coordination with relevant ministries/ institutions, updating the contingency plan including evacuation routes, hybrid meetings with Indonesian citizens in the Syrian territory, and coordination with local governments to ensure safe corridor movement of Indonesian citizens to the border.

The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Indonesian Representative Office in Damascus continue to collect data for Indonesian citizens who want to join the evacuation process to their homeland. The ministry also urges Indonesian citizens to remain vigilant, avoid vulnerable locations and crowds, minimize unnecessary movements and maintain close communication with the Indonesian Embassy in Damascus.