Syria's Islamist-led interim government has decreed that women must wear burkinis - a swimsuit that covers the body except for the face, hands and feet - or other "decent" clothes at public beaches and swimming pools.
Syrian state news channel Al-Ikhbariyah al-Suriyah said the regulations, issued by the tourism ministry, were "aimed at enhancing public safety standards and preserving public decency".
Private beaches, clubs and pools, and hotels with more than four stars, are exempt, the directive said.
Women often dress modestly on public beaches in Syria, but some women do opt for more Western styles of swimwear.
Under the new directive, beachgoers and visitors to public pools must wear "more modest swimwear", specifying "the burkini or swimming clothes that cover more of the body".
