Syrian white helmets step after deadly attacks

When the violence had recently erupted in the coastal zone of Syria, including the massacres of civilians, which are said to have been committed as revenge for attacks on Syrian security forces, volunteer rescuers quickly came to help.

They were part of the Syrian Civil Protection Group known as the White Helmets, which had operated in areas held by rebels during the Civil War.

After the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al -Assad in December, the white helmets arrived in the capital of Syria, Damascus, welcomed as characters by those who supported the opposition.

Since then, they have begun working in more areas of the war -devastated country.

Most of the killed in the latest attacks that occurred over the days earlier this month were Alavites, a shoot of Shiite Islam and the Assad minority sect.

Abdulka Kayal, head of white helmets in the coastal region of Syria, told the BBC that the work of the group goes beyond the policy: “When we go to save someone in need, we do not ask them for their religion or political opinion … It is our mandate to help the needy.”

During the Civil War, Assad had marked the white helmets of a terrorist group, claiming to be working for armed rebels. But the group always said it was a neutral, humanitarian organization and was praised around the world for its work.

“We are Syrians and we cannot separate our care for one area more than the others,” said G -n Kayal. “This is our homeland and we are considered an umbrella to serve all Syrians.”

The recent outburst of violence was the worst in Syria after temporary President Ahmed al-Sharaa led the “Rebel Lightning”, which removed Assad.

Tension has been boiled since December when Assad supporters killed 14 troops of the Interior Ministry in an ambushTwo weeks after the former president was downloaded.

“We are here to serve all without any differentiation,” said G -N -Kayal.

“Our slogan is” to save a life means to save all humanity. “It doesn’t matter if he is a Muslim, Sunni, Alavi, a Christian, Druz or even atheist. These families are our families.”

Last week, the BBC News joined the White helmets as volunteers had to work in Tartous after slaughter messages in Barmada.

The team extracted 10 bodies from the government fighters, which everyone seemed to have been thrown from a hill to Valley. Their arms and legs were tied, suggesting that they were caught on the opposite side.

Sabber, a security officer who was in place, accused Assad’s loyalty of being responsible for the deaths of hundreds of colleagues. BBC News cannot check this claim.

“When Syria was released from Assad’s regime, we tried to keep everything under control, to unite Syria, with all its governors and components, to restore the new Syria we want to be proud of in the Middle East,” he said.

But he added that this was difficult because “when we took control of the country, we had a personal problem with the (anti-Asad) militia, because most of them were victims of chemical attacks, bombs, massacres and many crimes that caused a devastating psychological impact on them.”

Images and video online show that soldiers killing civilians, including children, in the coastal areas where Alavit’s killings occurred.

A man, Maine, told BBC News that his son and aunt had been killed by security forces. He buried them in his yard so that they could stay close.

“We were suffering from Assad and now we are persecuted with this new government,” he said.

Maine’s wife was crying as she was looking at her son’s picture. “What did he do?” she asked. “He was 20 years old and did nothing to harm anyone.”

Al Sharaa, temporarily acting president of Syria, set up an independent committee to investigate the killings and insist that the perpetrators would be held liable.

But if his government wants to prevent a new civil war, many believe that it must prove that it can protect the alavites and guarantee the rights of all citizens in the new Syria.