Syria appeals to EU for help battling massive wildfires in Latakia
"Communication has also been established with the European Union, and there is a possibility of air support from Cyprus today to bolster the extinguishing efforts," Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management Raed Saleh wrote in a post on X.
"We are facing significant field challenges, most notably the rugged terrain, the absence of firebreaks, active winds, and the presence of mine remnants and unexploded ordnance."
Since the beginning of July, the Syrian civil defence have responded to 334 wildfires across the country, most of them concentrated in Latakia followed by Tartous, Saleh wrote on X.
The fires, which started last week, have proven difficult to bring under control despite reinforcements from Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon that came to the country to help Syrian teams fight the blazes.
On the second day of the fire, firefighters managed to bring 90% of the wildfires under control but explosions of left-over war ordnance and heavy winds helped spread the fires again.
There are currently 120 teams fighting the fires.
On Monday, the Lebanese army said it sent two helicopters to help fire crews in coordination with Syrian authorities.
While at the weekend, UN teams deployed to the Syrian coast where they are conducting urgent assessments to determine the scale of the damage.
"UN teams are on the ground conducting urgent assessments to determine the scale of the disaster and to identify the most immediate humanitarian needs," UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria, Adam Abdelmoula, said in a statement.
"The UN reiterates its solidarity with the people of Syria at this critical moment and stands ready to work alongside all stakeholders to ensure that no one is left behind in the response and recovery efforts."
Summer fires are common in the eastern Mediterranean region, where experts warn that climate change is intensifying conditions that then lead to blazes.
Also, below-average rainfall over the winter left many Syrians struggling with water shortages this summer, as the springs and rivers that normally supply much of the population with drinking water have gone dry.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
France 24
8 hours ago
- France 24
US says Trump has 'final call' on China trade truce
The world's top two economies met for a second day of negotiations in Stockholm, with both sides seeking to avert tariffs from returning to sky-high levels that had ground trade between the rivals to an effective standstill. The meeting in a Swedish government building, led on the Chinese side by Vice Premier He Lifeng and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent for the Americans, ended without a resolution but with the US side voicing optimism. Neither government has made public any details from the talks, which started on Monday, although US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Trump would have the "final call" on any extension in the truce. "Nothing has been agreed until we speak with President Trump," added Bessent, calling the tone of the talks "very constructive". The negotiations are taking place in the wake of a trade deal struck over the weekend that set US tariffs on most European Union imports at 15 percent, but none on American goods going to the EU. The truce between China and the United States has temporarily set fresh US duties on Chinese goods at 30 percent, while Chinese levies on trade in the other direction stand at 10 percent. That accord, reached in Geneva in May, brought down triple-digit tariffs each side had levelled at the other after a trade war sparked by Trump spiralled into a tit-for-tat bilateral escalation. The 90-day truce is meant to end on August 12. But there are indications both delegations want to use the Stockholm talks to push the date back further. The South China Morning Post, citing sources on both sides, reported on Sunday that Washington and Beijing are expected to extend their tariff pause by a further 90 days. Trump said he would be briefed again by Bessent on Wednesday. "We'll either approve it or not," he told reporters aboard Air Force One as he returned from Scotland. Trump's threats Separately, Trump has threatened to hit dozens of other countries with stiffer tariffs from Friday this week unless they reach trade deals with Washington. Among them are Brazil and India, with the South American giant facing a threat of 50 percent tariffs. Asked about Friday's deadline, Bessent told CNBC: "It's not the end of the world if these snapback tariffs are on for anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, as long as the countries are moving forward and trying to negotiate in good faith." Trump has already announced deal outlines with five countries -- Britain, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines -- as well as the one with the 27-nation EU. Beijing says it wants to see "reciprocity" in its trade with the United States. Foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said dialogue was needed "to reduce misunderstandings". The previous round of China-US talks was held in London. Analysts said many of the trade deals Trump has been publicising were leaning more on optics than on details. Stephen Innes, managing partner at SPI Asset Management, a firm that advises on currency exchange and commodities, said an extension of the 90-day truce between China and the United States could reinforce that view. "That truce could set the stage for a Trump – (President) Xi (Jinping) handshake later this year -- another risk-on carrot for markets to chew," he said. © 2025 AFP
LeMonde
11 hours ago
- LeMonde
Economist Dmitry Nekrasov: 'Only a handful of sanctions have had a serious effect on Putin's ability to continue the war'
In its 18 th package of sanctions against Russia, announced on July 18, the European Union introduced two measures targeting Russian oil exports. First, it lowered the authorized price cap for Russian crude oil purchases, which was now set at 15% below the market price. This supposedly more "dynamic" sanction mechanism replaces a previous cap of $60 (€51) per barrel. In addition, the EU added 100 more ships to its list of vessels banned from entering ports and locks, in a move aimed at curbing the so-called " shadow fleet" of tankers that secretly export Russian crude oil. What impact could these new measures have? Dmitry Nekrasov, an economist, entrepreneur and expert at the Center for Analysis and Strategy in Europe (CASE), which he co-founded, shares his insights. Nekrasov, a former adviser to Russian ex-president Dmitry Medvedev (2008-2012), later joined the Russian opposition coordination council and was ultimately forced to emigrate to Cyprus. He has been highly critical of the sanctions' real effectiveness on the Russian economy. According to his estimate, only 2,000 out of 15,000 sanctions measures have achieved their intended goal.
France 24
11 hours ago
- France 24
Tens of thousands in Rome for Vatican's Jubilee of Youth
The mass gathering is taking place just over two months after Leo XIV became the head of the Catholic Church and the first American pope. Since Monday, groups of pilgrims -- chanting and draped in flags of their countries -- have flooded the streets of Italy's capital and the corners of the Vatican City. An opening mass is scheduled at St Peter's Basilica later on Tuesday at 1700 GMT. The Vatican had last week said it expected some half a million people from more than 150 countries to take part in the youth events -- that are dedicated to faith and culture. The week will culminate with a giant mass led by Pope Leo on Sunday. The Jubilee of Youth is aimed at young people aged between 18 and 35. Pilgrims AFP spoke to said topics they most wanted to discuss at the events were wars, climate change, social inequalities and the dangers linked to AI. "The most important topic for me is war. Everyone is talking about it, thinking about it, and we want to know what the pope thinks about it and what he expects from us," 25-year-old Tiago Santos, a pilgrim from Portugal, told AFP. The event is taking place as tens of thousands have been killed in Gaza after almost two years of war with Israel and as UN groups warn of spreading starvation in the blocked territory. In Ukraine, Russia's almost 3.5-year invasion has killed thousands, with Moscow continuing deadly attacks despite Western pressure to end its campaign. For Teophanie Nasta, a 26-year-old Lebanese pilgrim who left her country for the first time, said that -- despite the conflicts in the Middle East -- she was filled with "faith in humanity by seeing so many young people" gathered for the church. In an unprecedented move, the Vatican decided to dedicated a series of events to Catholic influencers -- a sign of growing importance of social media for the church. Speaking to them on Tuesday morning, Pope Leo warned against the dangers of undermining "human dignity" in the AI era.
