ISLAMABAD, Dec 13: Pakistan has withdrawn its diplomatic staff from Syria due to deteriorating security in the country, the foreign ministry said on Thursday.

“We have temporarily withdrawn our diplomatic staff, including the ambassador, from Syria and they have all returned home,” Foreign Office spokesman Moazzam Ahmed Khan said.

Pakistan’s three to four embassy staff and its ambassador were evacuated because of the “deteriorating security situation”, the spokesman said.

The embassy is not closed, however, and staff will return “once the situation returns to normal,” Mr Khan added.

The spokesman said Pakistan was giving priority to have friendly relations with Afghanistan and participated in the trilateral summit held in Turkey on Wednesday with the spirit to ensure peace and security in the region. —Agencies