Jordanian firefighting teams have joined Syrian crews battling intense wildfires that have scorched around 10,000 hectares of forest and farmland in Syria’s coastal Latakia province.
Jordan sent advanced firefighting equipment and personnel across the border on Sunday © Mena Today
Jordanian firefighting teams have joined Syrian crews battling intense wildfires that have scorched around 10,000 hectares of forest and farmland in Syria’s coastal Latakia province.
The fires, ongoing for four days, have forced the evacuation of several villages and destroyed hundreds of thousands of trees across 28 areas, according to Syria’s emergency minister, Raed al-Saleh.
The blaze is fueled by extreme heat, strong winds, and rugged terrain, made worse by the presence of unexploded remnants from years of conflict.
Jordan sent advanced firefighting equipment and personnel across the border on Sunday, with planes expected to follow, according to Jordanian authorities.
Turkey had already dispatched two aircraft and eight fire trucks on Saturday to assist. The UN has also deployed teams on the ground to assess the humanitarian impact. Deputy UN envoy Najat Rochdi called for more international support.
The disaster comes as Syria struggles with the effects of climate change and years of war. The FAO recently noted that Syria is experiencing its worst climate conditions in 60 years, with severe droughts and record wildfires increasing in intensity.
Militant fighters of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) will begin handing over weapons in groups in the northern Iraqi city of Sulaymaniyah on Friday as part of a peace process with Turkey, Turkish broadcaster NTV reported on Tuesday.
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.
Turkey's foreign and defence ministers will visit Pakistan on Wednesday for talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss bilateral ties, regional issues, and defence industry cooperation, a Turkish diplomatic source said on Tuesday.
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