Qatari Aid Arrives in Syria to Support Efforts to Extinguish Latakia Fires

The first batch of Qatari aid arrived today at Aleppo International Airport to support Syrian efforts in combating the forest fires that have been sweeping through the countryside of Latakia province for ten days.

The Syrian Civil Aviation Authority informed SANA agency that the aid included the arrival of three aircraft out of six, carrying advanced firefighting equipment, including two helicopters belonging to the Qatari Air Force dedicated to firefighting, in addition to firefighting and ambulance vehicles, and logistical supplies.

Accompanying the aid was a field team from the Qatari Civil Defense (Lekhwiya) consisting of one hundred members, along with a team from the Qatari International Search and Rescue Group, and a specialized air team from the Qatari Air Force consisting of 35 personnel, in addition to a medical team to support relief operations.

At Aleppo Airport, Syrian Assistant Minister of Emergencies Ahmed Mohammad Dib Al-Azziz, along with a delegation from the Syrian Civil Aviation Authority led by the Director of Public Relations Department Alaa Salal, welcomed the arriving Qatari delegation.

Meanwhile, Syrian Minister of Emergencies and Disaster Management Raed Al-Saleh expressed his gratitude via Twitter to Qatar and the Qatari International Search and Rescue Group (Lekhwiya) for sending the aid, stating in his post: "We highly appreciate this noble humanitarian participation that reflects the depth of fraternal ties between the Syrian and Qatari peoples".

It is worth mentioning that the Latakia forest fires are witnessing joint regional efforts, with the participation of teams from Syria, Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon, whether on the ground or through firefighting aircraft.