The Philippine Online Chronicles

More overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were repatriated from Syria Wednesday amidst continued violence in the country.

30 OFWs, on Etihad Airways flight EY-424, arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport yesterday afternoon, where they were welcomed by labor officials. Another batch is expected to arrive later this afternoon on an Emirates flight.

Syria is presently undergoing severe domestic unrest, with overwhelming military force being used against anti-government demonstrations. The UN says that over 5,000 civilians have been killed and 14,000 more have been detained.

The Syrian government has been led by the Assad family for over four decades.

A UN resolution condemning the violent crackdown in Syria was recently vetoed by Russia and China, to international outrage.

In January, over 70 OFWs availed themselves of the government’s repatriation program. There are estimated to be over 9,000 OFWs remaining in Syria.

In neighboring Lebanon, however, at least eight OFWs remain in the Filipino Workers Resource Center in Beirut, after 54 OFWs returned home Tuesday.