Syria seeks European help as forest wildfires rage
Neighbouring countries Jordan, Lebanon and Türkiye have already dispatched firefighting teams to assist in the response. "We asked the European Union for help in extinguishing the fires," Minister Raed al Saleh said on X, adding Cyprus was expected to send aid on Tuesday. "Fear of the fires spreading due to strong winds last night prompted us to evacuate 25 families to ensure their safety without any human casualties," he added.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) office in Syria, the fires impacted "some 5,000 persons, including displacements, across 60 communities". An estimated 100 square kilometres (40 square miles) of forest and farmland — more than three per cent of Syria's forest cover — have burned, OCHA said. At least seven towns in Latakia province have been evacuated as a precaution. — AFP
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