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Saving Syrians

Syrian Civil Defense (commonly referred to as the White Helmets) is a volunteer, unaffiliated rescue team that operates in opposition-held Syria. They are in consideration for the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize and were the subject of a recent Netflix documentary (see trailer below).

Raed Saleh, the head of the White Helmets, spoke yesterday with Farouq Habib, manager of the Syrian Program at the Mayday Fund, Faysal Itani, a fellow at the Atlantic Council, and Ambassador Frederic C. Hof at the Atlantic Council.

Saleh described horrendous conditions in Aleppo, the target of a recent bombing campaign by the Syrian regime along with its Russian ally. Although the White Helmets are doing the best they can, he expects many more people to perish due to the destruction of their headquarters, the deaths of 12 volunteers, and the sheer number of people buried in the rubble whom they will be unable to rescue. He urged the international community to muster the political will to negotiate an end to hostilities against civilians in Syria.

Most devastating of the 1,700 airstikes on Aleppo in the past 8 days have been barrel bombs, incendiary munitions and cluster munitions. The Russians provided the incendiary and cluster munitions. The regime air force uses ‘double taps’: after bombing an area once, they will bomb it a second time once aid workers have moved in to assist the wounded, resulting in a greater number of casualties.

One audience member accused the White Helmets of taking an anti-regime stance by supporting a US-backed no-fly zone in Northern Syria. Saleh responded that White Helmet support of a no-fly zone has no political motivation. The White Helmets view it as the most effective way keep civilians safe from airstrikes.

Saleh also explained that the White Helmets work closely with UN aid convoys on a local level, since these convoys are more concerned with civilian welfare rather than politics. The White Helmets cooperate with opposition groups only to the extent that they are permitted to conduct rescue efforts.