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.