Iraqi embassy in Damascus evacuated as rebels storm capital

BAGHDAD — Iraqi embassy staff left Damascus on Sunday for neighbouring Lebanon, a diplomatic source told AFP, after Syrian rebel forces seized the capital and declared the end of President Bashar al-Assad’s rule.

The foreign ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the embassy’s 10 employees including the mission’s chief arrived “in Beirut by land, and are all in good condition”, adding that the evacuation was “due to the tensions in Damascus… the full withdrawal of the army and the loss of security”.

Syria’s capital erupted in celebration Sunday morning as rebel groups, led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, declared the fall of President Bashar Al-Assad after entering Damascus in a rapid offensive that began on Nov. 27, capturing key cities like Aleppo, Hama, and Homs; extraordinary scenes included rebel fighters announcing Assad’s ouster on state television, with reports from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claiming the longtime leader had fled.

According to information obtained by 964media, Iraqi embassy staff were transported to Lebanon via a land route. Officials have not yet provided further details on the future operations of the Iraqi mission in Syria or plans for its staff.

At the onset of the recent rebel offensive in Syria, the Iraqi government expressed support for President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani underscored Iraq’s commitment to Syria’s stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity during a phone conversation with Assad.

Iraq took measures to bolster border security, deploying troops along its frontier with Syria to prevent any spillover of the conflict. Al-Sudani emphasized that Iraq would not remain a “spectator” amid the escalating situation, highlighting concerns over regional stability and the potential for ethnic cleansing.

Despite these actions, the Iraqi government refrained from direct military involvement in Syria. Al-Sudani’s administration avoided deploying Iraqi forces into Syrian territory, focusing instead on diplomatic efforts and internal security measures to address the crisis.

AFP contributed to this report