New Delhi
The upcoming visit of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to war torn Syria has been postponed. Swaraj was to travel to Syria and Lebanon from September 11 to 13, making it a first such Indian full ministerial visit since 2011 to the country.
While in Damascus she would have held Joint Commission Meeting with her counterpart to discuss economic rebuilding of Syria, including Indian Line of Credit for projects in power and oil sectors, as well as cooperation on counter terrorism drawing from the experience of Syrian forces in the war against Islamic State. However, MEA spokespeson Raveesh Kumar today said, “EAM’s visit to Syria has been deferred due to the prevailing situation in that country. Fresh dates will be decided in mutual consultation with the Syrian side.” Sources confirmed that Swaraj will not be visiting Lebanon either next week.

Incidentally, Swaraj’s visit postponement comes amid reports of possible fresh military strikes by the United States against the Bashar Assad regime. America has warned of serious consequences if the Assad regime were to resort to a chemical gas weapons attack again in the last rebel held north western province of Idlib which holds almost 3 million people, including an estimated 1.3 million displaced population from other parts of the country. US President Donald Trump tweeted on September 4, “President Bashar al-Assad of Syria must not recklessly attack Idlib Province. The Russians and Iranians would be making a grave humanitarian mistake to take part in this potential human tragedy. Hundreds of thousands of people could be killed. Don’t let that happen!”

President Assad has been blaming the opposition forces of using chemical weapons, an assertion the US has denied.