Damascus, SANA-Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management Raed Al-Saleh said Friday that the spread of fires in the most dangerous areas of the Latakia countryside has been halted.
The minister added that the Qastal Maaf – Kassab road is not dangerous but has been temporarily closed to civilian traffic except for emergencies and ambulances, to ensure uninterrupted work until the fire is fully controlled.
In a post on the X platform, the minister said: “We are on our 9th day battling fires, last night and early this morning, civil defense teams, firemen, and support units managed to stop the fire’s spread in the most critical areas: Jabal al-Nisr, al-Furnloq Reserve and al-Atira, despite strong winds that complicated efforts.”
“Large areas remain unburned, and quick intervention over the past two days has significantly reduced the fire’s reach. While we recognize the extent of losses, the situation on the ground shows that we are gradually gaining control. The forests are not lost, and work continues to protect them.” al-Saleh added.
Addressing reports from some media that the Qastal Maaf – Kassab road in the northern Latakia countryside was closed due to fires reaching it today, the minister confirmed that the road remains passable and poses no direct threat to civilians.
The Minister of Emergencies added that because this road is a main supply route for firefighting teams, increased civilian traffic has disrupted extinguishing operations and delayed the arrival of water tankers and heavy equipment. Therefore, the Operations Room, in coordination with the Ministry of Interior, decided to temporarily close the road to civilian traffic except in emergencies and ambulance cases, to ensure efficient and continuous field work until the fire is completely controlled.
Khadeja/MHD Ibrahim
