Turkey Sends Aircraft and Fire Trucks to Help Syria Battle Latakia Wildfires
Helicopters bearing Turkish flags were flying over the forested region of Qastal Maaf, close to the Turkish border, supporting more than 60 Syrian civil defense and disaster teams working on the ground.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — In a significant regional show of support, Turkey dispatched two aircraft and eight fire trucks to Syria on Saturday to help combat raging wildfires in the coastal province of Latakia, Syria’s Ministry for Emergencies and Disaster Management confirmed.
The Turkish assistance arrived as Syria entered its third consecutive day of firefighting efforts amid harsh conditions. Helicopters bearing Turkish flags were seen flying over the forested region of Qastal Maaf, close to the Turkish border, supporting more than 60 Syrian civil defense and disaster teams working on the ground.
According to an AFP correspondent, strong winds and high temperatures have continued to fuel the fires, forcing residents to flee from their homes with whatever belongings they could carry. Several residential areas were evacuated on Friday as the flames advanced.
Turkey, which has been battling its own wildfires in areas near the Syrian border, is providing the aid as part of a regional coordination effort. The cooperation comes at a time when both nations are confronting the compounded impact of man-made climate change, which has intensified droughts and wildfire outbreaks across the region.
Syria’s civil defense said a volunteer firefighter was treated for smoke inhalation, and a service vehicle was destroyed. The ministry noted that firefighting teams are operating under "very difficult conditions," including mountainous terrain and the constant threat of unexploded war remnants left behind by more than a decade of civil war.
Last month, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization said Syria was enduring its worst climate conditions in 60 years, citing record heatwaves, low rainfall, and widespread forest fires.
