Syria Protests - Advice and Information For British Nationals

Summary: There has been further break downs in the security situation in Syria following protests. British nationals have been advised to leave Syria since April and to not visit the country unless completely necessary since April.

It is highly unlikely that the British embassy in Syria can offer any consular assistance in the event of a further breakdown in law and order in Syria. British nationals are urgently requested to leave Syria by commercial means as soon as possible.

Evacuation options will be limited due to communication and travel restrictions.

It is important for British nationals to keep a close watch on the situation in Syria and to take responsibility for their safety security. All travel to Syria is strongly advised against.

Avoid all public gatherings and demonstrations of any kind. If you find yourself caught up in a large gathering, you should keep a low profile and leave the area as soon as it is safe to do so.

FCO advice for British travellers:

• Remember to keep your passport with you for identification purposes at all times
• Contact the British Embassy in Damascus - please note that full consular assistance is available by appointment only
• Register with the FCO's LOCATE service so that they can track you down in an emergency
• Follow the Foreign Office on Twitter for the latest advice
• Stay informed with the FCO's latest Syria travel advice here

Last Updated: 20 April 2011

Summary: The FCO has reviewed the situation and is now urging British nationals already in the country to leave by commercial means in light of the deteriorating security situation in Syria.

At present, there is still relative freedom of movement with the airports and major roads remaining open at present and commercial airlines are still running scheduled services.

It should therefore remain possible for British nationals to leave if they should choose to do so.

British nationals are still advised to avoid all non-essential travel to Syria as a whole and in particular to avoid travelling to:

• The town of Douma to the north-east of Damascus
• The southern city of Deraa and its surrounding towns and villages including Tafas and Sanamiyn. This area includes the Ar Ramtha border crossing whose approach routes go through Deraa itself, but does not include the main border point at Nasib (also called Jaber on the Jordanian side)
• The coastal areas of Syria north of Tartous city up to the border with Turkey. This area includes the cities of Baniyas and Latakia
• The city of Homs and the nearby town of Talbiseh on the main Damascus-Aleppo highway, where there have been disturbances including live gunfire and deaths. If you are travelling on the main road, you are advised not to stop or turn off into Talbiseh.

Avoid all public gatherings and demonstrations of any kind. If you find yourself caught up in a large gathering, you should keep a low profile and leave the area as soon as it is safe to do so.

We strongly encourage all British Nationals in Syria to register with the FCO's LOCATE online registration service.

Last Updated: 19 April 2011

Summary: The FCO has advised against all travel to the city of Homs and the nearby town of Talbiseh due to continuing unrest in the area.

There have also been anti-government protests in other towns and cities including:

• Hasseke,
• Qamishle,
• Tartous, Harasta and
• The Damascus suburb of Kafar Sousseh

Roads are likely to be blocked off in these areas. The last few days have seen several major highways including Tartous-Latakia, Latakia-Aleppo and Homs-Aleppo temporarily cut off because of demonstrations or disturbances.

Last Updated: 12 April 2011

Summary: The FCO now advises against all but essential travel to Syria and against all travel to Baniyas due to continuing disturbances and live gunfire being used by security forces.

British Nationals already in/or residing in Syria are also advised to review their own individual security situation and take precautions for their safety.

Anti-government protests spread throughout Syria:

Recent days have seen an increase in disturbances in Syria from protests. Since Friday 18 March, there have been protests which have resulted in a number of deaths, initially in Deraa, but spreading to other urban centres in recent weeks. On Friday 8 April, anti-government demonstrations were held in cities across Syria including Homs, Qamishle, Hassake and the Damascus suburbs of Kafar Sousseh and town of Harista.

See below for further advice on staying safe if you are still in Syria.

FCO advice for British travellers:

• If you are in the southern city of Der'aa please arrange a departure flight by contacting your airline as soon as possible
• Avoid demonstrations, as these could turn hostile, and be particularly vigilant in public places
• If you are caught up in a large gathering, keep a low profile and leave the area as soon as it is safe to do so
• Do not film or photograph any gatherings, as this will attract attention
• Remember to keep your passport with you for identification purposes at all times
• Contact the British Embassy in Damascus - please note that full consular assistance is available by appointment only
• Register with the FCO's LOCATE service so that they can track you down in an emergency
• Follow the Foreign Office on Twitter for the latest advice
• Stay informed with the FCO's latest Syria travel advice here

Last Updated: 28 March 2011

Summary: The FCO advises against all travel to the city of Der'aa in southern Syria. Please see the advice for British travellers below.

The situation in Syria:

The FCO has changed its advice in light of continuous demonstrations over the past few days. On Friday, 25 March, small anti-government demonstrations were held throughout Syria, which were met with large pro-government rallies.

The southern city of Der'aa is particularly dangerous, as there were a number of civilians killed by Syrian security forces. There were also reports of gunfire in the coastal city of Latakia on Saturday, 26 March.

Protests against Syria's 40-year rule:

The uprising against Syria's President Bashar al-Assad's regime, previously limited to the south of the country, has now also spread to Latakia in the north - the tribal heartland of the Assad family.

Up to 21 people were reportedly killed in Latakia over the weekend as a result of violent clashes between protestors and the police. Security forces were deployed to disperse the crowds who are in favour of governmental reform.

These events come along with the Syrian government's decision to lift the emergency law. The repeal of this emergency law, which has been in place since the 1963 coup that brought the Baath Party to power, has been a key demand of protestors.

The emergency law imposes restrictions on public gatherings and authorises the arrest of "suspects or persons who threaten security". It also authorises the interrogation of any individual and the surveillance of personal communication, as well as official control of the content of newspapers and other media before publication.