Britain Warns Against Travel to Syria

Britain warned Tuesday against all but essential travel to Syria after a bloody weekend crackdown on anti-regime demonstrators.

"In light of the deteriorating security situation in Syria we have decided to change the overall level of our travel advice: we now advise against all but essential travel to Syria," Foreign Office Minister for Middle East and North Africa Alistair Burt said.

Britain is also recommending its nationals take care when in public places and on the roads, and that they avoid large crowds and demonstrations.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said Monday the situation in Syria was "deeply troubling" and that violence against protesters was "unacceptable".

Twenty-eight people were killed, including 26 in the city of Daraa alone, as anti-regime protesters and security forces clashed on Friday, according to a toll compiled by Syrian rights groups.

Protests erupted in Syria on March 15 calling for the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, who has been in power since 2000, to introduce sweeping political reforms.