Minister of Civil Defense in the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management Munir Mustafa confirmed that the ministry is working on a comprehensive plan to complete the needs of civil defense centers across Syria, noting that implementing this plan requires four or five years. This was stated in an interview with Al-Ekhbariya Channel today, Sunday, on the occasion of the 12th anniversary of the signing of the Civil Defense founding charter, where he clarified that expanding operations to cover the entire Syrian territory requires significant enhancement of human and logistical capacities.
For his part, Mustafa pointed out that a large portion of the mechanisms inherited by the ministry from the former regime are worn out, destroyed, or out of service, requiring high costs and repeated maintenance works to rehabilitate them. He explained that the ministry has begun purchasing new vehicles, with batches scheduled to arrive in Syria and be distributed to centers, but the available quantities remain limited compared to the scope of responsibilities and needs. He noted that government and international support, including equipment arrived from the German government, requires time to complete operational requirements in various regions.
The Civil Defense director explained that the institution's work began with scattered volunteer groups at the end of 2012, and the signing of its founding charter in 2014 marked an important milestone in unifying policies and procedures and organizing field work. He clarified that the number of employees reached about 4,500 before declining to around 3,000 due to field developments, before the institution's responsibilities expanded after liberation. He pointed out that Civil Defense teams have rescued more than 115,000 people since the launch of their work until liberation, noting that the February 2023 earthquake was one of the most prominent milestones in its history.
Mustafa added that teams managed to extract 294 living persons from under the rubble during the earthquake, along with recovering about 2,500 deceased individuals. He noted that more than 220 employees were martyred while performing their duties, amidst the risks facing rescue and firefighting teams, explaining that Civil Defense has received more than 40 global awards in appreciation of its humanitarian efforts. He confirmed the continuation of training elements and volunteers on safety procedures and dealing with risks of collapses, fires, and explosions, alongside working on plans to establish training centers and a specialized academy within Syria.
The Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management Raed Al-Saleh expressed his appreciation today for the sacrifices of Syrian Civil Defense elements, confirming the continuation of their humanitarian mission in saving lives, protecting people, and preserving their dignity, on the occasion of the 12th anniversary of the signing of its founding charter.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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