Latest news with #RaedAlSaleh
The National
18 hours ago
- Politics
- The National
Syria appeals to EU for help as wildfire spreads
Syria has appealed to the European Union for help as wildfires continue to spread in the coastal countryside of Latakia, forcing the evacuation of people from their homes. Raed Al Saleh, Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management, said aircraft from Cyprus could be sent to support the operation to extinguish the fires, alongside crews from Turkey and Jordan already on the scene. Lebanon has also sent aircraft, he said. Sixteen planes are currently working to control the blazes, Mr Al Saleh added, with the number expected to reach 20. Twenty-five families have been evacuated from their homes in Al Ghassaniya village in the Ras Al Basit district of Latakia in the west of the country, the minister said. Strong winds, rugged terrain and unexploded ordnance littering the region were hindering firefighting efforts, Mr Al Saleh said, with an area covering about 14,000 hectares now in flames. In Ras Al Basit, the fires were continuing to spread, state news agency Sana reported late on Tuesday. Footage from White Helmets shows magnitude of Syria's raging wildfires Interior Ministry spokesman Noureddine Al Baba said people had been arrested on suspicion of involvement in starting the fires. He said the ministry was investigating the causes of the blaze to determine whether they were deliberately set. 'There are suspects, they have been arrested and are currently under investigation, and if their involvement is proven it will be announced,' he was quoted by Sana as saying. The fires have been rampaging across the Latakia, Baniyas and Tartus governorates. The coastal region contains most of Syria's green space, covering about 4,000 square kilometres, or 2 per cent of the nation's land mass, according to data recorded in 2010 before Syria's civil war broke out. Syria's forests have been compromised by decades of illegal logging along with unlicensed building and farming, particularly during the 13-year war. Syria, once a regional breadbasket, is undergoing one of its worst droughts in decades. In the late 2000s, the country became a wheat importer due to a lack of rain and the illegal use of water wells, which affected underground reservoirs.
Gulf Today
19 hours ago
- Climate
- Gulf Today
Syrian wildfires spread due to heavy winds and war remnants
Syrian firefighters are facing heavy winds, high temperatures and ordnance left behind from the 13-year civil war as they try to extinguish some of country's worst wildfires in years, a government minister said Monday. The fires, which started last week, have proven difficult to bring under control despite reinforcements from Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon that came to the war-torn country to help Syrian teams fight the blaze. Syrian Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management Raed Al Saleh said their main challenges are two locations in the coastal province of Latakia that they have been trying to control for two days. "We have controlled other locations,' Al Saleh told the media at the scene. Emergency responders with the Syrian Civil Defence work to extinguish a wildfire near the town of Rabia, in Syria's Latakia countryside, on Monday. AP On the second day of the fire, firefighters managed to get 90% of the wildfires under control but explosions of left-over war ordnance and heavy winds helped spread the fires again, al-Saleh said. He added that 120 teams are fighting the blazes. On Monday, the Lebanese army said it sent two helicopters to help fight the fires in coordination with Syrian authorities. Over the weekend, UN teams deployed to the Syrian coast where they are conducting urgent assessments to determine the scale of the damage and to identify the most immediate humanitarian needs. A drone view shows a wildfire, in Latakia countryside, Syria, on Sunday. Reuters 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 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. Associated Press
Al Arabiya
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Syria seeks EU help to battle massive wildfires
Syria's minister of emergencies and disaster management on Tuesday requested support from the European Union to battle wildfires that have swept through a vast stretch of forested land. The fires have been burning for six days, with Syrian emergency crews struggling to bring them under control amid strong winds and severe drought. Neighboring countries Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey 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 kilometers (40 square miles) of forest and farmland -- more than three percent of Syria's forest cover -- have burned, OCHA told AFP. At least seven towns in Latakia province have been evacuated as a precaution. Efforts to extinguish the fires have been hindered by 'rugged terrain, the absence of firebreaks, strong winds, and the presence of mines and unexploded ordnance', Saleh said. Seven months after the fall of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, Syria continues to face the repercussions of its 14-year civil war, which include explosive remnants scattered across the country. With man-made climate change increasing the likelihood and intensity of droughts and wildfires worldwide, Syria has also been battered by heatwaves and low rainfall. In June, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation said Syria had 'not seen such bad climate conditions in 60 years.'
Arab News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Syria seeks European help as forest wildfires rage
DAMASCUS: Syria's minister of emergencies and disaster management on Tuesday requested support from the European Union to battle wildfires that have swept through a vast stretch of forested land. The fires have been burning for six days, with Syrian emergency crews struggling to bring them under control amid strong winds and severe drought. Neighbouring countries Jordan, Lebanon and Turkiye 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 kilometers (40 square miles) of forest and farmland — more than three percent of Syria's forest cover — have burned, OCHA told AFP. At least seven towns in Latakia province have been evacuated as a precaution. Efforts to extinguish the fires have been hindered by 'rugged terrain, the absence of firebreaks, strong winds, and the presence of mines and unexploded ordnance,' Saleh said. Seven months after the fall of longtime ruler Bashar Assad, Syria continues to face the repercussions of its 14-year civil war, which include explosive remnants scattered across the country. With man-made climate change increasing the likelihood and intensity of droughts and wildfires worldwide, Syria has also been battered by heatwaves and low rainfall. In June, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization said Syria had 'not seen such bad climate conditions in 60 years.'
Shafaq News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Syria battles sixth day of raging Latakia wildfires
Shafaq News – Latakia Syrian Civil Defense teams entered their sixth day battling fierce wildfires in the Latakia countryside, facing extreme weather, rugged terrain, and remnants of war, while receiving support from neighboring countries, including Turkiye, Lebanon, and Jordan. A Shafaq News field team accompanied the firefighters on the ground, documenting the extensive destruction as flames devoured thousands of trees and vast forested areas in one of Syria's richest natural woodland regions. Moaz al-Sayyed, a member of the Civil Defense, told Shafaq News that steep slopes, active winds, high temperatures, and the presence of landmines from past conflicts have made firefighting operations both difficult and dangerous. 'The mountainous terrain—composed of valleys and ridges—combined with poor infrastructure and limited access routes, is restricting the teams' ability to contain the fires effectively.' He noted that crews are currently prioritizing efforts to stop the flames from reaching the protected Al-Farnlaq Nature Reserve, considered one of Syria's most biodiverse forest zones. في ظل ظروف مناخية صعبة وطبيعة جغرافية معقدة، واصلت فرق الإطفاء في عموم سوريا جهودها على مدار أكثر من ثلاثة أشهر، حيث استجابت لأكثر من 4000 حريق منذ بداية شهر نيسان وحتى 7 تموز 2025، وسجّلت مدينة حلب العدد الأكبر بـ 789 حريقاً، تلتها اللاذقية بـ 601 حريقاً، ومن بين مجمل الحرائق،… — Raed Al Saleh ( رائد الصالح ) (@RaedAlSaleh3) July 7, 2025 On Monday, Civil Defense teams evacuated the village of Al-Ghassaniyeh (Falaq) in the Ras al-Basit area after strong winds pushed the fire dangerously close to residential homes. Meanwhile, Syria's Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management, Raed al-Saleh, confirmed that the government has formally requested assistance from the European Union. He said Cypriot firefighting aircraft would join suppression efforts starting today. Al-Saleh reported that more than 10,000 hectares have been damaged so far, calling it 'a true environmental disaster.' He asserted that authorities are coordinating with local and international agencies to implement short-term, medium-term, and long-term reforestation and recovery plans. According to official figures, Turkiye has sent 16 specialized firefighting teams, Jordan has deployed six helicopters and support crews, and Lebanon has contributed two firefighting helicopters. More than 80 field units, backed by approximately 180 firefighting vehicles, are operating under a central command center established by the Ministry of Emergency in coordination with other ministries and relevant agencies. Syrian army units—both ground and air—have also joined the operation, alongside local volunteers and civil society organizations.
