In a statement released on Saturday, the ministry further urged avoiding travel to Syria while demanding that those already in the country maintain regular contact with the Egyptian embassy in Damascus.

The statement added that the Egyptian embassy has established a crisis cell to monitor developments and assist Egyptian citizens in Syria.

Additionally, the ministry requested all Egyptians residing or currently present in Syria to register their data with the Egyptian embassy in Damascus so that the embassy can follow up on their conditions.

The embassy has provided the following contact numbers for this purpose: 00963956440441 and 00963995488774.

Fighting in Syria has surged after a new rebel coalition – led by the militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) – launched an offensive on 27 November, sweeping into Aleppo, the nation’s second-largest city.

The UNSC-designated terrorist group has reportedly snatched key cities and swathes of territory from government control, including Aleppo in the north, Hama in the centre, and Deir al-Zor in the east, according to Reuters.

The escalating situation in Syria reignited a war that has long devastated the country, raising fears of a fresh wave of regional instability.