The Syrian American Council condemns the brutal killing of seven members of the Syrian Civil Defense group known as the White Helmets. The cold-blooded attack took place last Saturday at the White Helmet's center in Sarmin, Idlib. The senseless murders were carried out by unidentified gunmen.

The White Helmets are strictly a non-political, non-violent, volunteer humanitarian organization dedicated to saving lives and restoring hope in Syria. Since the group's inception in 2013, 3,300 rescue workers have been dedicated to saving Syrians brutally affected by the conflict in Syria, saving over 90,000+ lives.  The conflict has claimed over half a million lives of which the vast majority have been taken by the Assad regime and its allies.

“The White Helmets are heroes in Syria who risk their lives to save others. Despite this, they are labeled as 'terrorists' by the Assad and Russian regimes and are continuously targeted for their humanitarian work,” stated Dr. Zaki Lababidi, Vice President of the Syrian American Council.  “This latest killing of the seven White Helmet members illustrates the dangers the group faces daily. Around 200 White Helmet volunteers have been killed, however, the group continues to persevere and save lives.”

SAC calls on the international community to immediately investigate this heinous crime, bring justice to those murdered, and to hold the perpetrators accountable. U.S. peacekeepers should also be immediately deployed to monitor any agreements regarding the so-called de-escalation zones negotiated by the Trump Administration to stem the violence and to guarantee protection and safety for civilians.