India calls for preserving Syria's unity, sovereignty & territorial integrity as rebels take over
A day after Islamist rebels captured power in Syria, India on Monday called for a peaceful and inclusive Syrian-led political process to bring stability in that country.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday said it is monitoring the situation in Syria and called on all stakeholders to "work towards preserving the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity" of the West Asian country.
"We are monitoring the situation in Syria in the light of on-going developments. We underline the need for all parties to work towards preserving the unity, soverignty and territorial integrity of Syria. We advocate a peaceful and inclusive Syrian-led political process respecting the interests and aspirations of all sections of Syrian society," the ministry said in a statement.
The MEA added that India's embassy in Damascus is in contact with the members of the Indian community living there. "Our Embassy in Damascus is in contact with the Indian community, for their safety and security," the statement read.
The MEA's statement comes amid chaos in Syria following Islamist-led rebel factions' lightning advance into the capital over the past two weeks, which forced President Bashar al-Assad to flee the country Sunday; Russian news agencies have since claimed he is in Moscow.
Meanwhile, the leader of the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group claimed a "historic" victory Sunday in a speech from a landmark mosque in Damascus. "This victory, my brothers, is for the entire Islamic nation..." he said from the Umayyad Mosque in a video shared by the HTS on Telegram.