Syrian authorities have officially appealed to the European Union for assistance in battling raging wildfires that have devastated parts of the coastal province of Latakia for six consecutive days.
Despite the scale of destruction, no casualties have been reported so far © X
Syrian authorities have officially appealed to the European Union for assistance in battling raging wildfires that have devastated parts of the coastal province of Latakia for six consecutive days.
The fires have already consumed approximately 100 square kilometers of forested land, according to the United Nations.
“We have asked the EU for help to fight the fires,” said Syria’s Minister of Emergency Situations and Disasters, Raed al-Saleh, as quoted by state media. He added that firefighting aircraft from Cyprus are expected to arrive on Tuesday to help contain the blazes.
Firefighting teams from Jordan, Turkey, and Lebanon have already joined Syrian crews on the ground.
These teams are struggling with extremely difficult conditions, including scorching temperatures, strong winds, rugged mountain terrain, and the presence of landmines left behind after years of conflict. Minister Saleh emphasized that "weather conditions are significantly contributing to the spread of the fires."
Despite the scale of destruction, no casualties have been reported so far.
Nearly seven months after the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad, Syria remains deeply scarred by over a decade of war that has crippled its economy and infrastructure.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, on his first visit to Syria, called Saturday on the international community to help the country as it moves through a transition following years of civil war and the establishment of new authorities.
Residents began entering the southern Lebanese town of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh on Friday, some inspecting damaged homes and searching for belongings after Israeli troops withdrew and the Lebanese army deployed under a U.S.-brokered agreement.
United Nations Human Rights chief Volker Turk, an outspoken critic of Russia's war in Ukraine and Israel's conduct in Gaza, faces opposition from both countries to a second four-year term ahead of a potentially contentious vote on Friday, diplomats told Reuters.
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