لليوم الخامس.. حرائق اللاذقية تتواصل وإطفاء تركي يتدخل لمساعدة دمشق

As Turkish firefighting teams began participating today (Saturday) in the operation to extinguish fires in the Syrian province of Latakia, the Syrian Civil Defense announced that it had managed to extinguish a fire hotspot in the Qastal Maaf area of the Turkmen Mountain in northern Latakia countryside.

The Syrian news agency "SANA" reported from the Syrian Civil Defense that it continues cooling operations in the area, confirming that it has been sending reinforcements to the region for the third consecutive day to limit the spread of the fires, which are exacerbated by the wind speed, explosions from war remnants, and the difficult mountainous geography.

The Civil Defense announced that one of its volunteers was injured due to suffocation while participating in firefighting operations, and a service vehicle belonging to the teams was burned while trying to reach the fire hotspots, explaining that explosions resulting from war remnants complicate efforts to control the raging wildfires for the third consecutive day in the Latakia countryside.

Sixty-two firefighting teams from the Syrian Civil Defense are participating in the operation to extinguish the wildfires that have been ongoing since July 3, in the areas of Qastal Maaf, Zanzaf, and Rabi'a in the Latakia countryside.

Local residents reported that flames have consumed large areas of vegetation in the mountainous villages, confirming that the current fires are among the most severe the region has witnessed in recent years, reaching the edges of some homes.

At the same time, Turkish firefighting teams began participating today in the operation to extinguish the fires in Latakia province after coordinating with the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management. The Turkish teams include two helicopters and 11 vehicles (8 fire trucks and 3 water supply units).

Sixty-two firefighting teams from the Syrian Civil Defense and forestry brigades are participating in extinguishing the wildfires in the villages of Tufahiya, Al-Rawda, and Al-Midan in the Qastal Maaf district, and in the vicinity of the towns of Rabi'a and Zanzaf in the Latakia countryside, which have been ongoing since last Thursday.

The Syrian Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management, Raed Saleh, stated on "X": "In response to the wildfires in the Latakia countryside, a field meeting was held with the Turkish side in the border area of (Yela Dag) adjacent to Turkmen Mountain, aimed at coordinating joint intervention and responding to wildfires in Latakia province," adding: "It was agreed to deploy two firefighting helicopters on Saturday morning, and 11 vehicles (8 fire trucks and 3 water supply units) entered to participate in the firefighting operations in Latakia."

Saleh pointed out that although the intervention was scheduled for Friday evening, the outbreak of unexpected fires in Turkey delayed the arrival of the participating teams until Saturday morning, emphasizing that this coordination is in cooperation between the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management, the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Turkish side, to ensure readiness, exchange field information, and enhance rapid response to protect our people in the border mountainous areas.

The Syrian Arab Red Crescent teams, in cooperation with the Civil Defense teams, continue their relief efforts for families affected by the fires that have spread to their orchards and sources of livelihood in the towns of Beit Sabira, Al-Midlan, and Beit Hasit.

The Red Crescent mentioned on its "Facebook" page that the assistance included the distribution of 200 units of canned goods, 400 units of dates, and 250 water packages.

The medical teams affiliated with the organization announced their full readiness to provide first aid, especially for cases resulting from suffocation or direct injuries due to the fires.

This response comes within the framework of community solidarity, and the humanitarian agencies' commitment to providing rapid support in the affected areas.