A series of successive fires broke out in the dawn of October 9, 2020, destroying several of hectares of forest and farmland and reaching populated cities and villages in the governorates of Latakia, Tartus, Hama and Homs. It’s noteworthy that the Syrian regime which rules these areas is extremely indifferent to the suffering of the peoples there and the devastation wreaked on the country’s natural habitat. SNHR has noticed that the Syrian regime has made no move to allocate material or human resources to protect the people or preserve Syria’s environmental resources and natural wealth, having already destroyed whole cities, and displaced their residents.
The Syrian regime’s indifference has contributed directly to alarming spread of these devastating fires resulting in the death of individuals due to burn wounds and the suffocation of 20 others. Additionally, tens of thousands of civilians were displaced from their homes, vital facilities were destroyed while the Qerdaha International Hospital evacuated according to official resources of the Syrian regime forces. SNHR is so far unable to identify the cause of the horrendous fires, whose losses add to the suffering caused by the human, economic and social disasters resulting from the regime survival, once again showing that the rulers’ desire to remain in power comes at the expense of the Syrian state, the country’s natural environment and its society, with the leaders indifferent to the terrible price.
This photo was shared online on October 9, 2020, shows the fire near Safita city in Tartus governorate.
