London, March 1 (IANS) Britain has withdrawn its diplomatic staff from Syria and closed it embassy in Damascus on security grounds, The Independent reported Thursday.
Ambassador Simon Collis and his staff left Syria Wednesday after it was decided the “deterioration in the security situation” had put their safety at risk.
The decision comes after Foreign Secretary William Hague has urged those fighting for Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime to lay down their arms.
Hague said Britain will continue to work with the opposition Syrian National Council and support UN and Arab League special envoy Kofi Annan’s work.
Hague warned that Syrian soldiers will be held to account if they turned their weapons on their fellow countrymen in the expected assault on Homs.
