afrinpost – Exclusive
Our correspondent reported extensive wildfires over the past two days, which have ravaged the natural forest in Mount Hawar, located between the Bulbul and Rajo districts in Afrin region. The fires also completely destroyed around 100 olive trees belonging to Mohammed Alo and 65 trees belonging to Hanan Alo, residents of Dikeh village in the Bulbul district.
The “Syrian Civil Defense” confirmed on its Facebook page that its teams managed to extinguish a massive fire in the forested area of Rajo early on June 6. The fire consumed approximately 150 hectares of land and required 44 hours of continuous and arduous work using isolation methods and hand tools, with the participation of 20 volunteers.
Evidence suggests that these fires were intentionally set, given the distance between the fire outbreaks and the systematic destruction of the Hawar Mountain forest, which has been strategically targeted for over six years. This ongoing destruction includes continuous cutting and burning of the forest under the watchful eyes of Turkish intelligence and military forces, who have occupied the village of Jabaliya\ Çê and displaced all its residents. Despite the proximity of the site to the Turkish border (about 20 km away), Turkey has refrained from assisting in extinguishing the recent fires by providing ground or aerial firefighting equipment, leaving the task to the modestly equipped Syrian Civil Defense.
It is noteworthy that the Hawar Mountain forest is a pristine natural area, home to common oak, wild olive, strawberry trees, and other broad-leaved forest companions. The site also holds historical significance, featuring caves and the ruins of an ancient castle.
