White Helmets Response Report in Latakia and Tartus — Thursday, March 13

White Helmets Response Report in Latakia and Tartus — Thursday, March 13

For the eighth consecutive day, White Helmets teams continue their humanitarian mission, responding to distress calls, extinguishing fires, providing medical aid, recovering victims’ bodies, and delivering life-saving services. These efforts are carried out despite ongoing challenges in Latakia and Tartus, ensuring access to those in need while adhering to humanitarian principles and prioritizing the safety of our teams.

This report details the response on Thursday, March 13, and includes only the operations conducted by White Helmets teams.

Recovery of Victims' Bodies

On March 13, specialized teams retrieved 13 bodies from Baniyas in Tartus province. The retrievals were conducted following reports of their locations, with proper documentation before transporting the bodies to hospitals and handing them over to forensic authorities.

Fire Response

Firefighting teams responded to 11 fires across Latakia and Tartus provinces, including:

  • Wildfires in Burj Solas (Mashqita), Al-Shir, and Al-Haffa in rural Latakia.
  • A fire in diesel-carrying vehicles caused by an electrical short circuit at a garage at the entrance of Latakia.
  • A commercial shop fire in Bouqa suburb, Latakia.
  • Grassfires in Ras Shamra, Blue Beach, Al-Zoubar, and South Raml, Latakia.
  • A garbage fire in the Al-Qalaa project area, Latakia.
  • Reed fires along the Baniyas River and another in Tartus.
  • An electrical transformer fire in the Al-Qusour neighborhood, Baniyas.
     

Medical Assistance

Emergency teams responded to 25 medical cases, including patient follow-ups, hospital transfers, and routine medical emergencies.

Water Supply to Critical Facilities

With water services disrupted due to the current crisis, White Helmets teams provided emergency clean water supplies to hospitals, bakeries, and other essential facilities.

Additional Operations

Teams also provided critical support by:

  • Clearing blocked roads.
  • Removing burned or abandoned vehicles to facilitate civilian movement.
  • Restoring displaced concrete barriers in compliance with traffic regulations.

Commitment to Humanitarian Work

The White Helmets remains dedicated to its humanitarian mission amid the extraordinary challenges facing Latakia and Tartus. Despite ongoing risks, the organization expanded its response efforts on Sunday, March 9, deploying additional emergency, firefighting, and medical response teams to support civilians during this crisis.

In these difficult times, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to saving lives and assisting communities with neutrality and without discrimination. We will continue seeking every possible way to support Syrians, carrying with us a hope that remains steadfast.

We extend our deepest condolences to the families of innocent civilian victims and honor the sacrifices of those who gave their lives in defense of Syria’s unity and its people’s safety. We stand in solidarity with all affected civilians and emphasize the importance of upholding human rights. We call for accountability for those responsible for 14 years of crimes against Syrians, including killings, torture, displacement, and starvation, as well as the recent atrocities committed in Latakia and Tartus.