White Helmets

WHITE HELMETS: Syria’s last Hope

Just imagine you are sleeping or having lunch in your house in a country which has been tormented by war and a fighter jet drops a barrel bomb on the very same building. You are now in a stance of chaos, people will tend to run out of these buildings which are burning like an inferno but some brave men will run in and save you. This is a glimpse of what on a daily basis the ‘White Helmets’ Syrian Civil Defense personnel are involved in doing. The civil war in Syria has been going on since 2011. This is a war where earlier civilians were collateral damage but now are the targets of President Bashar al-Assad Regime. These Syrian Civil Defense personnel, ‘White Helmets’ consisting of 3000 people who before the civil war were just common civilians who had  jobs like tailoring and carpentering, now work in the rebel controlled areas as rescuers. This chaos has engulfed Syria where we see humanity dying: these soldiers are the ones who are keeping the flame of humanity alive.

The Asaad regime have turned their back on the civilian population, with the help of the Russian and Iranian forces, they have brought destruction on the ground which has led to the growth of jihadist. The civilians are getting butchered by the onslaught of the regime as well as the jihadist. Around 300,000 civilians of Aleppo are being bombed by airstrikes. It remains the only part which is under opposition. This shall continue and until the president-elect Trump comes to the Oval Office.

The white helmets are funded by a western organisation named MayDay Rescue based in Netherlands, they have been trained in Turkey and are paid around $150 monthly. The West must support them as they are risking their lives to save the lives of thousands.  President Bashar al-Assad has compared these humanitarians to terrorists. Until now they have saved around 60,000 people of which one of every six of them has been injured and 160 have died mainly by the ‘double tap’ airstrike which were led by the Russian and Syrian air force.

It is described as one of the most difficult jobs but these brave men consider it to be a part of their moral responsibility. They would rather try and save as many lives as they can than flee from the country. Some people may argue that they are backed by the Western powers who want to overthrow Bashar al-Assad. Amidst all the controversies we should put our biases aside and appreciate the work these brave and courageous men are undertaking.

Text: Akash Londhe.

Image: The White Helmets.