Malaysia to shut down Damascus embassy

Ambassador to be withdrawn after 130 students are evacuated from Syria

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia’s government said it is shutting its embassy in Syria and evacuating more than 130 students and diplomats because of the escalating civil war.

Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said the Malaysian ambassador to Damascus and four other embassy officials will be temporarily withdrawn after 128 students are brought back to Kuala Lumpur.

Officials were also urging other Malaysians in Syria to leave immediately. A ministry statement late Saturday said 10 Malaysian expatriates are registered with the embassy.

Damascus in the past week has seen its heaviest fighting in Syria’s 17-month-old uprising as rebel forces target the pillars of regime power in their bid to end President Bashar Assad’s rule.