Hundreds of fires devoured Syria’s coastal forests in 2020
LATAKIA, Syria (North Press) – The year 2020 witnessed more than 500 cases of infringements and more than 1,000 fires in Latakia forests in the western Syria.
Basem Duba, head of the Forestry Department of the Latakia Directorate of Agriculture, told the pro-government newspaper al-Watan on Thursday that 518 infringements against forests in the governorate during 2020 were recorded.
Duba indicated that there are 118 violations of fires, and 94 violations of breaking and charring.
The Syrian Ministry of Interior had said that it had arrested dozens of people who confessed to setting fires in the mountains of the Syrian coast, but the Syrians had their doubts about that.
In October, dozens of fires broke out in the countryside of Latakia, Tartus, and Homs.
At that time, it was said that the fires were arson by dealers of firewood and charcoal and brokers, and that 39 people were arrested, according to al-Watan newspaper.