Assad pays rare visit to fire-ravaged western Syria
The UN says at least three people have died in the fires that erupted last week in Latakia, Tartus and Homs provinces.
In a rare public appearance, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad inspected the destruction caused by the recent wildfires in the coastal province of Latakia, state media outlets reported on Tuesday.
Between Thursday and Sunday, at least 156 wildfires were reported in the coastal regions of Latakia and Tartus as well as the central Homs province, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Three people had died before the blazes were contained on Sunday.
More than 70 people, mostly in Latakia, have been admitted to hospitals. As many as 25,000 residents may have been displaced and up to 140,000 impacted by the damage caused to their homes, agricultural land and access to hospitals and other government services, OCHA estimated.
As Assad’s ancestral home, Latakia is a political stronghold for the regime. When in the coastal Mediterranean province, Assad pledged the government’s support to residents affected by the fires, state-run news agency SANA reported on Tuesday.
