DFA advises Filipinos in Syria to stay indoors amid air strikes

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs on Monday advised Filipinos in Syria to remain vigilant following the air strikes and bombing in its capital, Damascus.

The Philippine Embassy in Damascus urged Filipinos in Syria to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary movements in the wake of missile strikes.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, said air strikes and ground-to-ground missiles hit several targets in Syria’s capital. This included Damascus airport near the Thaala military airport to the south of the capital.

The war monitor said the attacks were the “deadliest Israeli strikes in Syria since May last year.”

Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said the overnight strikes killed at least 11 pro-regime fighters and two Syrians.

Embassy Charge d’Affaires Alex Lamadrid said that despite these attacks “there were no Filipinos affected in the strikes.”

The DFA said there are around 1,000 members of the Filipino community in Syria. — Rosette Adel with reports from Agence France-Presse