'We will rescue anyone': BBC accompanies Syria's White Helmets after deadly attacks

Recent violent clashes have erupted in the coastal region of Syria, with reports of large-scale massacres targeting civilians in retaliation for attacks against Syrian security forces. Amidst this backdrop, volunteer rescue workers have swiftly arrived on the scene to provide assistance.

These rescue workers belong to the Syrian Civil Defence, also known as the "White Helmets," an organization that was primarily active in opposition-held areas during the civil war. After the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad in December, the "White Helmets" entered the Syrian capital of Damascus, where they were greeted as heroes by opposition supporters. Subsequently, they began operations in more war-torn regions.

The recent attacks, which lasted for several days, have primarily targeted Alawites, a branch of Shia Islam and the minority sect to which Assad belongs. Abdulkafi al-Kayaal, the head of the "White Helmets" operations in the Syrian coastal region, told the BBC that the organization's work transcends political affiliations: "When we go to rescue people who need help, we don't ask about their religion or their political views... Our duty is to help those who need help."

Throughout the civil war, Assad consistently referred to the "White Helmets" as a terrorist organization, claiming they worked for armed rebels. However, the organization has always maintained that it is a neutral humanitarian organization and has been praised worldwide for its work. Mr. Kayaal said: "We are Syrians, and we cannot differentiate between different regions. This is our home, and we see ourselves as an umbrella of protection for all Syrians."

The recent outbreak of violence is the worst Syria has seen since interim President Ahmed Shala led a lightning rebel offensive to overthrow Assad. Tensions have been simmering since Assad's supporters [ambushed and killed 14 interior ministry soldiers](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0ew5g3vzreo) two weeks after his ouster in December. In early March, fighting broke out between security forces and militants loyal to the former regime, reportedly [leaving dozens dead on both sides](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdrxkm2evnlo). Subsequently, Syrian security forces were [accused of carrying out retaliatory killings against Alawites](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czxnwrqey4go) in the coastal province of Latakia, the Alawite heartland. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, has since stated that [more than 1,400 civilians have been killed in Latakia and the neighboring provinces of Tartus, Hama, and Homs](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cyve9prq3qjo). BBC News has not been able to verify whether these killings were carried out by the forces of Syria's new rulers.

The "White Helmets" have responded to these events, stating that they were conducting approximately 30 rescue operations per day at the peak of the attacks, including recovering more than 100 bodies. Mr. Kayaal said: "We are here to serve everyone, without any distinction. Our slogan is 'To save one life is to save all of humanity.' Whether they are Muslim, Sunni, Alawite, Christian, Druze, or even atheist, these families are our family."

Last week, after receiving reports of a massacre in the village of Balmarada, BBC News accompanied the "White Helmets" as they worked in Tartus. The team recovered the bodies of 10 government soldiers who appeared to have been thrown into a valley from a hillside. Their hands and feet were bound, indicating they had been captured by the opposing side. A national security officer at the scene, Sabel, accused Assad's supporters of being responsible for the deaths of hundreds of his colleagues. BBC News was unable to independently verify this claim. He said: "When Syria was liberated from the Assad regime, we worked to control everything, to unite Syria, including all its provinces and components, to rebuild a new Syria that we hope to be proud of in the Middle East." But he added that it was difficult because "when we controlled the country, there were personal problems between us and the [anti-Assad] militias, because most of them were victims of chemical attacks, bombs, massacres, and many crimes that had a devastating psychological impact on them."

Images and videos online appear to show soldiers killing civilians, including children, in the coastal region where the Alawite killings took place. A man named Maan told BBC News that his son and aunt were killed by security forces. He buried them in his own yard so they could be close to him. He said: "We suffered under Assad's rule, and now we are being persecuted by this new government." Maan's wife looked at a photo of her son and wept. "What did he do?" she asked. "He was only 20 years old and did nothing to hurt anyone."

Syria's interim President Shala has established an independent commission to investigate the killings and has insisted that the perpetrators will be held accountable. But if his government wants to prevent a new civil war, many believe it must prove that it can protect Alawites and ensure the rights of all citizens in the new Syria.