Indonesian Embassy in Damascus targeted by gunfire No Citizens Injured

The Indonesian Embassy in Damascus, Syria, was struck by stray bullets that penetrated its meeting room over the weekend, amidst the ongoing insurgency that led to the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad.

Judha Nugraha, the ministry's director for the protection of Indonesian citizens, confirmed that no Indonesian citizens were injured during the incident, Caliber.Az reports via Indonesian media.

Judha also disclosed that 1,162 Indonesian citizens are currently residing in Syria. Amidst the unrest that forced Assad to flee, 19 Indonesian migrant workers took refuge at the embassy, he added.

In response to the escalating violence, the Indonesian Embassy has implemented its highest security alert across all regions of Syria.

Judha advised Indonesian citizens to avoid unnecessary travel within the country and to maintain regular communication with the embassy to receive updates on safety.

Note that, Syrian rebels captured the capital, Damascus, without resistance on December 8 following a swift and decisive advance that forced President Bashar al-Assad to flee to Russia, marking the end of a 13-year civil war and six decades of his family’s autocratic rule.

This development represents one of the most significant shifts in Middle Eastern geopolitics in decades. The collapse of Assad's regime has dismantled a key stronghold through which Iran and Russia maintained influence across the Arab world. According to Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s ambassador to international organizations in Vienna, Moscow has granted asylum to Assad and his family, as confirmed on his Telegram channel.

Assad's sudden downfall, driven by a revolt with partial backing from Türkiye and rooted in Sunni jihadist movements, diminishes Iran’s capacity to supply weapons to its allies and risks Russia losing its strategic naval base in the Mediterranean. Additionally, this change could pave the way for millions of refugees, who have been living in camps across Türkiye, Lebanon and Jordan for over a decade, to finally return home.

For the Syrian people, this marks an abrupt and unexpected end to a war that has remained dormant for years, leaving hundreds of thousands dead, cities destroyed, and an economy crippled by international sanctions.

By Aghakazim Guliyev