Wildfires Ravage Syria’s Coastal Forests Amid Claims of Arson by Extremist Group

LATTAKIA – Massive wildfires sweeping through Syria’s northwestern coastal mountains have destroyed thousands of hectares of forest and agricultural land, displacing local communities, and placing extraordinary strain on emergency response services. As firefighters enter their fifth consecutive day battling the flames in the rugged hills of northern Lattakia, a militant group has claimed responsibility, raising alarm about an emerging threat to Syria’s already fragile environmental and security landscape. 

On Sunday, a group calling itself Saraya Ansar al-Sunna issued a statement via Telegram claiming its fighters were behind the blaze that erupted Thursday in the Qastal area of northern Lattakia. The statement boasted that the fires led to the “displacement of the Nusayriyya (Alawites) and caused suffocation injuries among them.” The group previously claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing at the Mar Elias Church in Daramsuq (Damascus), which martyred 29 and injured dozens on 22 June. Syrian authorities, however, have dismissed the group as a “phantom faction” with no verified structure or known leadership. 

Despite those official denials, the group’s claims have rattled nerves and cast a grim shadow over Syria’s summer wildfire crisis, which experts warn is rapidly evolving into a national environmental catastrophe. 

In response, Syria’s Ministry of Emergency Affairs and Disaster Management announced the establishment of a joint field operations room in coordination with several local NGOs. The operations center, according to Minister Raed al-Saleh, is tasked with supporting logistical and on-the-ground firefighting operations. 

Through a post on X (formerly Twitter), Minister al-Saleh confirmed that the task force has already deployed water tankers, coordinated teams of trained volunteer firefighters, and mobilized heavy equipment to dig fire lines in an effort to contain the spread of the flames. “We are grateful to every volunteer and every organization aiding us in these extremely difficult circumstances,” he said. 

But the challenges remain overwhelming. The terrain is treacherous, and shifting winds combined with record-high summer temperatures have hampered containment. Complicating efforts further are remnants of old battle zones—landmines and unexploded ordnance—which pose lethal risks to emergency crews operating in formerly militarized zones. 

According to a statement released by the Syrian Program for Climate Change (SPCC), over 3,000 fires have broken out across the country since the beginning of 2025. More than 5,700 hectares of forest and farmland have been consumed by flames, and firefighting units are stretched beyond capacity. 

In its statement, the SPCC urged the Syrian government to declare a nationwide environmental state of emergency and called for sweeping reforms, including development of early warning and satellite monitoring systems, inclusion of local communities in prevention efforts, legal accountability for individuals found guilty of arson, and financial aid for affected families and reforestation support for forest-dependent farmers 

The group also acknowledged the “direct logistical support from Turkey,” which reportedly includes aircraft assistance and trained firefighting personnel working in cross-border coordination. 

While Saraya Ansar al-Sunna is still poorly understood, its emergence reflects broader challenges in post-Assad Syria, where numerous fragmented militias—some born from defections, others backed by transnational networks—are testing the limits of the state’s ability to ensure security and stability. 

Environmental terrorism could become a recurring tactic in regions where climate vulnerability intersects with political fragility. Syria’s coastal forests, often described as the country’s “green lungs,” have already suffered from decades of neglect, logging, and the impacts of war. Their deliberate destruction would have generational consequences. 

For communities in northern Lattakia—many of them Alawites and Christians who once held sway under the Assad dynasty—the firestorm has rekindled deep fears about sectarian revenge and renewed violence. 

As smoke continues to billow from Syria’s western mountains and the scent of burning pine lingers in the air, the nation faces yet another test. Can it suppress not only the flames that destroy its forests, but the extremist ideology that threatens to ignite deeper divides?