Three volunteers from the Syria Civil Defence (White Helmets) — Maamoun Al-Omar, Jalal Takko, and Shaaban Shoshan — tragically lost their lives on Thursday, May 22, 2025. They were part of a team working to clear remnants of war and were killed while carrying out their humanitarian duty to protect civilians. 

On Thursday, May 22, at 10:10 a.m., the Syria Civil Defence (White Helmets) Unexploded Ordnance Teams based at the Souran Center in Hama countryside received a report from the local police regarding a suspicious object placed on the railway tracks near the village of Karah, in eastern Hama countryside. A four-person team was dispatched in a vehicle clearly marked with the organization’s logo and designated for war remnants operations. Upon arrival, three volunteers exited the vehicle in protective clothing bearing the White Helmets insignia and approached the object for inspection. The fourth volunteer remained inside the vehicle. According to the surviving team member, the volunteers identified potential indicators that the object might be remotely detonated. As they began to withdraw from the scene, the device was detonated at the precise moment of their retreat. Based on the timing and method of detonation, initial observations raise serious concern that the team may have been deliberately targeted by individuals monitoring the site.

We, the White Helmets, consider this incident a serious attack against humanitarian principles and international law, which protect humanitarian workers and criminalize targeting them. It targeted neutral humanitarian workers dedicated to protecting civilians from the dangers of war and appears to be a deliberate attempt to obstruct humanitarian operations and prevent teams from responding to reports of unexploded ordnance. 

To date, we have lost 321 of our volunteers, most of them killed while performing their humanitarian duties, many in double-tap or systematic attacks carried out by the Assad regime and its allies. Despite these losses, the White Helmets reaffirms our unwavering commitment to neutrality, independence, and continued humanitarian service. We will persist in our efforts to remove the deadly remnants of war and ensure the safety of our communities.

As we lay our colleagues to rest, we are working with the Ministry of Interior to support investigations to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice. We stress the urgent need to protect humanitarian workers, hold those responsible for crimes against Syrians accountable, and ensure that justice is served.  

Ending impunity and initiating a transitional justice process are essential to sustaining humanitarian efforts, achieving peace and justice, and building a free, safe and dignified Syria for all. 

We mourn the loss of our colleagues and honor their sacrifice for Syria