Small Group of Russian Expatriates Forced to Leave Syria - East Idaho News
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Small Group of Russian Expatriates Forced to Leave Syria

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GETTY W 062012 SyriaMap?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1358933396861iStockphoto/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — In what may be a portent of things to come, about 100 Russians who live in Syria are getting ready to go back to their homeland.

The Russians were described as having lost their homes due to the ongoing fighting in Syria.  They arrived in Lebanon on Tuesday and were flown into Moscow.

Russia has previously dropped hints that it may have to eventually order a large-scale evacuation of its population living in Syria, numbering around 30,000.  However, there has been no official announcement of this happening even as violence continues to escalate between the Syrian government and rebels in a bloody conflict that has gone on for two years.

Despite Moscow’s inaction, there is deep concern that longtime ally, President Bashar al-Assad, won’t be able to hold onto power for much longer.

There could be increased pressure to evacuate Russians from Syria if the government falls and the country enters a sustained period of instability.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

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