AANES fire teams denied access to aid coastal wildfires

RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – The Union of Municipalities under the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) expressed regret on Monday over being prevented from sending firefighting teams to assist with ongoing wildfires along the Syrian coast.

According to a statement released by the union, teams of firefighters from cities across northeast Syria gathered in Raqqa last Friday with fire trucks and equipment, preparing to deploy to the coast and other affected areas. The initiative aimed to provide urgent assistance to communities facing widespread fires.

“In the wake of destructive fires affecting coastal forests and homes, causing significant damage to the property of our fellow Syrians, we follow with deep sorrow the humanitarian and environmental toll of this disaster,” the union said.

The statement added that the AANES-affiliated union had declared full readiness from the early hours to provide all possible support, including firefighting crews and relief materials, emphasizing their national and moral responsibility.

The union expressed regret that these resources could not reach coastal communities at a time when they were in urgent need of assistance. It stressed that natural disasters must transcend political and administrative considerations, and that solidarity among Syrians during such crises is both a humanitarian and national obligation.

AANES and its affiliated municipal bodies have played an ongoing role in regional governance and emergency preparedness, coordinating civil defense efforts across northeast Syria. The union’s attempt to assist highlights the continued engagement of local administrations in broader humanitarian support beyond their immediate jurisdiction.