New Delhi: A Ghaziabad resident, the first among 75 Indian nationals evacuated from Syria, shared his harrowing experience in Damascus and expressed gratitude towards the Indian government for their timely assistance. India has started a rescue operation and we are the first team who rescued from Syria. The best part is that they contacted each and everyone. They were even motivating them and asking them if they were okay, he recounted.Continuous Support from AuthoritiesRavi Bhushan, who spoke to media after his return, praised the Syrian embassy for its consistent updates throughout the rescue operation. The Syrian embassy kept updating us every hour through messages about when and what they were going to do in connection to the rescue operation, he noted. He acknowledged that any issues related to food or other necessities were promptly addressed by the embassy, stating, We are very much thankful to the Indian government and Indian embassies in Lebanon and Syria.Having witnessed the plight of others during this crisis, Bhushan remarked on the stark contrast between their situation and that of many foreign nationals. We saw how people from other countries were suffering. We saw small children and women made to sit outside for over 10-12 hours in 4-5 degree temperatures. It was really horrible. But because of the Indian government, we did not face any such issues, he said.Escalating Crisis in SyriaThe situation in Syria has deteriorated significantly since rebel forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched a surprise offensive on November 27, ultimately taking control of Damascus and ousting President Bashar al-Assad. Bhushan described the current conditions as the worst, with widespread panic among civilians. People are firing in open roads, bombarding, looting banks. They damaged the airport completely and vandalized vehicles parked at hotels everywhere, he explained. He warned that conditions could worsen in the coming days.Bhushan had initially traveled to Syria for business purposes, believing the situation was stable. I was there for some business reasons. At that time, everything seemed okay. Even our customer contacted the Indian embassy saying things were fine. But suddenly, after 2-3 days, everything changed, he recalled.Successful Evacuation EffortsA statement from the Indian embassy in Lebanon confirmed that all 75 Indian nationals evacuated from Syria, including 44 pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir stranded at Saida Zainab, reached Beirut safely on Wednesday. The Ministry of External Affairs emphasized its commitment to prioritizing the safety of Indian nationals abroad amid ongoing turmoil.
