We have saved people from airstrikes by the Syrian regime, Russia and the international coalition as well as from fighting amongst groups on the ground.

The Syria Civil Defense is a national institution founded on the principles of neutrality,

impartiality and independence. These values have allowed us to operate independently, even when the communities we serve have been caught in local and international conflicts.

We have saved people from airstrikes by the Syrian regime, Russia and the international coalition as well as from fighting amongst groups on the ground.

Over the last week we witnessed rapid changes in military and administrative control in northwestern Syria, one of the areas in which the Syria Civil Defense operates. These changes

have not affected the impartial delivery of services nor our organizational indepence in anyway.

Any pressure on the Syria Civil Defence, its impartiality and independence could

threaten our ability to provide services to more than four million civilians, potentially even to stop working in affected areas.

The Syria Civil Defense continue to work day and night in the service of their communities and their families inside Syria. For our volunteers nothing has changed; they are working

today, like every day, to provide essential services for their communities, none more so than those displaced in camps facing the harshest of winters.

The conflict on the ground and the wider international debate is not distracting us from our noble duty: saving lives.

We are from the people and for the people and we remain to serve them.

Monday 21st January, 2019