Damascus: Commander of the Qatari International Search and Rescue Group (QISRG) Major Khalid Al Humaidi affirmed that the participation of the QISRG in extinguishing the forest fires in Latakia Governorate in the sisterly Syrian Arab Republic was an implementation of the directives of the Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani as an expression of the State of Qatar's continued support for the brotherly Syrian people.
In remarks to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Al Humaidi noted that the Qatari team was comprised of 130 specialized rescuers and equipped with the latest firefighting equipment and helicopters, adding the team carried out ground and airfield operations in direct coordination with the Syrian Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management and Latakia Governorate, and with continuous monitoring from the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Damascus.
He pointed out that the operations included the use of aerial firefighting helicopter and thermal drones for early detection of fire outbreaks, in addition to coordination with the central operations room to monitor the wildfires' developments as they unfolded. This contributed to enhancing the speed of response and controlling the fire under challenging field conditions, including rugged terrain and volatile winds.
For his part, Syrian Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management HE Raed Al Saleh announced the end of fire suppression operations in all areas of the fire after 12 days of continuous field work. He extended his thanks and appreciation to the State of Qatar for its rapid and effective support as well as commended the Qatari teams for standing by their Syrian counterparts during this ordeal.
Al Saleh noted that more than 16,000 hectares of forests were damaged by the fires, adding that the challenges included the dangers of mines and remnants of war that disrupted some operations, in addition to an unprecedented drought in the region.
The Syrian Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management called for intensified international efforts to rehabilitate the affected areas, stressing that the Syrian people will not forget the positions of their sister countries.
In implementation of the directives of the Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, a team from the QISRG of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) arrived at Aleppo International Airport last Saturday, representing the Standing Committee for Rescue, Relief and Humanitarian Assistance in sisterly and friendly countries.
The step comes in the framework of the team's participation in firefighting operations in areas of the Latakia countryside on the Syrian coast, in addition to providing urgent humanitarian aid to help mitigate the effects and repercussions of these fires.
