escalating crisis
KARACHI: Around 250 Pakistani pilgrims have been stranded in Syria as the country grapples with worsening turmoil following the lightning offensive by rebels that resulted in the ouster of President Bashar-al Assad. Tariq Samiullah, Country Head of Cham Wings, confirmed that the rebels have closed the airport, effectively halting outbound flights. “Our flight scheduled for Lahore today has been cancelled,” he said, adding that another flight destined for Karachi on December 11 has also been cancelled. Pilgrims reported uncertainty regarding Cham Wings’ flight schedule for the day, with no clear updates provided. Meanwhile, the situation in Damascus remains tense, with firing in the Sayyidah Zaynab area creating widespread panic and fear among those present in the vicinity. Syrian rebels declared this morning that they had taken Damascus, sending President Assad fleeing and ending five decades of Baath rule in the war-wrecked country.
