Etihad Airways, the UAE's national airline, announced on Thursday (August 30th) that it has suspended flights between Abu Dhabi and Damascus.

"The decision, while not taken lightly, has been made due to the deteriorating security position in Syria," the airline said.

"The safety of passengers and crew is paramount to the airline," it said, adding that affected passengers will be fully refunded for unused tickets.

Etihad said flights to the Syrian capital will remain suspended until further notice. The Etihad website said flights from Abu Dhabi to Beirut in neighbouring Lebanon will continue as usual.

Last month, Royal Jordanian also suspended flights to Damascus and Aleppo.