Turkey is helping several countries that want to ensure the safe departure of their citizens from Syria after rebels captured Damascus and toppled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government last week.
According to Turkish diplomatic sources who spoke to VOA Turkish on the condition of anonymity, Turkey’s foreign and defense ministries are coordinating the evacuations of third-country nationals from Syria with the logistical support of Turkish ground forces.
Turkish diplomatic sources also emphasized that the assistance to third-country nationals who want to leave Syria is being provided discreetly to prevent security risks such as hostage-taking.
Turkey was less secretive about its assistance in evacuating third-country nationals from Lebanon during the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel in October.
In that operation, Turkish Foreign Ministry sources said, Ankara had helped 2,120 foreign citizens from 21 countries, including the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, to reach their destinations by air via Turkey as of October 16.
In both evacuations, sources from Turkey’s Ministry of National Defense told VOA Turkish, they provided necessary military vehicles and personnel support.
The Turkish operation has been especially important because Damascus International Airport has been closed since Sunday, shortly after Assad fled the country.
“God willing, the airport will reopen as quickly as possible because we are going to work flat out,” airport director Anis Fallough told Agence France-Presse, without giving a precise time frame. An AFP correspondent saw armed rebel fighters deployed around the airport.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, in phone conversations with his counterparts, talked about evacuating foreign nationals through Turkey without disclosing the countries, diplomatic sources who were familiar with the talks told VOA Turkish.
Pakistan, Italy
Pakistan and Italy were among the countries that discussed the safety of their citizens with Turkey. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry posted on X that Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar had discussed the matter in a phone call with Fidan on December 8.
In 2012, Italy cut diplomatic ties with Syria “to reiterate the firmest condemnation of the unacceptable violence perpetrated by the Syrian regime against its citizens.”
Italy resumed its diplomatic presence in Syria in July by appointing Stefano Ravagnan as an ambassador. Ravagnan began his post on November 20.
In a press conference last Sunday, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced that Syrian rebels had entered the Italian ambassador’s residence but had not harmed Ravagnan or his security staff.
According to Tajani, about 300 Italian citizens are in Syria, and the embassy is ready to help them leave the country if they want. However, Tajani said that as of December 8, there were no evacuation requests other than from a group of 15 Italians who crossed into Lebanon overnight last weekend.
US citizens in Syria
The United States has suspended its diplomatic presence in Syria since February 2012.
The Czech Republic has served as U.S. protecting power in the country since then. However, according to a State Department security alert on Tuesday, the Czech Republic is unable to assist the U.S. citizens in Syria at this time.
“We have been in contact with U.S. citizens who have enrolled in STEP or contacted us directly,” a State Department spokesperson said Wednesday in a statement to VOA Turkish, using the acronym for a traveler enrollment program that enables the State Department to contact them in case of emergency.
“Not all are seeking assistance to depart. With suspended embassy operations in Syria, it is difficult to provide an accurate number,” the statement said.
The State Department spokesman also said that U.S. embassies in Syria’s neighboring countries are providing consular assistance to U.S. citizens who are able to depart.
“We are working with our partners to communicate U.S. citizen requests to cross into neighboring countries,” the statement said.
UN presence
Turkish diplomatic sources also said that Turkey provides logistical and security support to U.N. teams in Syria when necessary.
The office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said it continues delivering humanitarian aid in Syria, even though the situation is “highly volatile and uncertain, including determining which groups are in control.”
“The volatile security situation has forced the U.N. to suspend many lifesaving operations and reduce its footprint on the ground, but UNHCR and the U.N. are determined to remain here and provide services to all vulnerable Syrians in need of humanitarian support,” UNHCR Turkey spokesperson Selin Unal told VOA Turkish on Tuesday.
Unal emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety of civilians, civilian infrastructure and humanitarian workers so the U.N. can continue its programs at full capacity.
Some information for this report came from Agence France-Presse.
