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Bhushan, a resident of Ghaziabad, who had gone to Syria on a short business trip, became the first of 75 Indian nationals to return to India
The MEA said the evacuation was initiated after assessing the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Syria. (Image via X/@IndiaInLebanon)
Ravi Bhushan, an Indian returnee from Syria, shared his harrowing experience from the war-torn country and predicted that the situation is only going to get worse.
Bhushan, a resident of Ghaziabad, who had gone to Syria on a short business trip, became the first of 75 Indian nationals to return to India, two days after rebel forces overthrew President Bashar Assad’s authoritarian government.
While speaking to the media on Thursday after landing in India, he described the chaos he witnessed in Syria, calling the situation the “worst” he had ever seen, with widespread panic among the people.
He further added, “People are firing in the open road, bombarding, looting the banks. They damaged the airport completely. They are damaging all the vehicles which are parked in the hotels and everywhere.”
“I would say that in the coming few days, the situation is going to get worse,” he noted.
Bhushan further explained that everything seemed fine when he first arrived in Syria, but the situation took a dramatic turn after 2-3 days.
“That time the situation was quite okay. Even our customer contacted the Indian embassy and said that things are okay there. But after 2-3 days, suddenly the things changed. So we were not expecting these kind of things,” he said.
Bhushan praised the efforts of the Indian government, highlighting their constant communication and support during the crisis. He added, “Indian Embassy was in touch with us and was assuring us that we are safe and we don’t need to panic. After two days when the situation got a little better, the Indian government rescued us safely.”
VIDEO | “…Indian Embassy was in touch with us and was assuring us that we are safe and we don’t need to panic. After two days when the situation got a little better, the Indian government rescued us safely,” says Ravi Bhushan, first Indian who returned to Delhi after being… pic.twitter.com/l9OSgAJcdd— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 12, 2024
The evacuation of the 75 Indian nationals, including 44 pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir stranded at Saida Zainab, was coordinated by the Indian embassies in Damascus and Beirut.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the evacuation was initiated after assessing the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Syria.
The MEA had also expressed its concern over the ongoing crisis in Syria, stating that it is closely monitoring the unfolding developments and advocated for a peaceful and inclusive Syrian-led political process moving forward in the country.
The Syrian government collapsed on Sunday as rebels seized control of the capital, Damascus, after capturing several key cities and towns. President Bashar al-Assad fled the country after the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) took over Damascus, marking the end of his family’s 50-year rule.
Russian state media reported that Assad is now in Moscow, where he is expected to be granted asylum. His nearly 14-year rule was characterised by a brutal civil war, widespread bloodshed, and a harsh crackdown on political opponents.
(With inputs from agencies)