Wildfires rage in Syria for 3rd day, with conditions made worse by unexploded munitions

QASTAL MA‘AF, Syria — Syrian emergency workers were battling forest fires raging in the coastal province of Latakia on Saturday for a third day in tough conditions as neighboring Turkey sent assistance. As flames blaze through western Latakia province, Damascus says unexploded bombs and mines make firefighters’ work even more dangerous; Turkey sends help. 

An AFP correspondent saw strong winds fanning the flames in forest areas and farmland in Qastal Maaf, around a dozen kilometers (eight miles) from the Turkish border, as residents continued to flee with what they could carry. Some residential areas in the region were evacuated a day earlier.

Syria’s ministry for emergencies and disaster management said teams from Turkey began helping on Saturday morning “as part of regional coordination to face the fires,” with the assistance including two aircraft and eight fire trucks. Turkey, a key supporter of Syria’s new authorities, has been battling its own fires in recent days, including near the Syrian border. The AFP correspondent saw helicopters bearing the Turkish flag flying over Qastal Maaf assisting firefighters on the ground. (Read More)