RIYADH: The first Saudi relief plane carrying urgent relief aid for those affected by wildfires in Syria’s Latakia Governorate has landed at Aleppo International Airport, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.
The plane marks the beginning of the Saudi air bridge operated by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense, SPA said.
Supervisor General of KSrelief Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeeah noted that the humanitarian assistance reflects the spirit of humanitarian solidarity that is characteristic of the Saudi government.
Dr. Al-Rabeeah stressed that the Kingdom prioritizes humanitarian work as a core mission stemming from its values and long-standing generosity, and out of its belief that human dignity is a fundamental right for every individual on earth.
KSrelief also signed a cooperation agreement on Wednesday with the Syrian Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management to provide essential equipment, supplies, and machinery needed to combat wildfires in the town of Kassab, Latakia Governorate.
The agreement aims to enhance rapid and effective response capacity through technical and logistical support for field firefighting teams.
Syria’s civil defense agency on Sunday said wildfires in the country’s west, which have burned vast tracts of forest and farmland and forced evacuations, had been brought under control after 10 days.
In a statement on Facebook, the agency said that “with the spread of the fires halted and the fire hotspots brought under control on all fronts” on Saturday, teams on the ground were working to cool down the affected areas while monitoring any signs of reignition.
The blazes in the coastal province of Latakia broke out amid an intense heatwave across the region and the UN humanitarian agency OCHA said they destroyed about 100 square kilometers of forest and farmland.
