'They are prime targets': White Helmets evacuation prompts concern for rescuers left behind
Canada has an obligation to protect remaining volunteers, says professor Bessma Momani
Over the weekend, 98 Syrian White Helmet volunteers and more than 300 of their family members were evacuated from southwest Syria — but many rescuers remain trapped in the war-torn country.
The White Helmets are a group of civilian volunteers who learned how to execute sophisticated rescue efforts. They have saved tens of thousands of lives throughout the Syrian civil war.
"You had bombs dropping from the sky relentlessly … and they went in and they rescued many people at their own peril," Bessma Momani, professor of political science at the University of Waterloo and the Balsillie School of International Affairs, told The Current's guest host Megan Williams.
But recently, the rescuers have been the ones needing rescuing. Government forces have edged closer to the once rebel stronghold of Daraa, aiming for those who actively opposed the regime.
The White Helmets have been subject to "torture in prisons, arrest and disappearance. They are prime targets," Momani said.
Considering Western governments like Canada have partnered with the White Helmets throughout the Syrian conflict — offering training and other resources to improve their humanitarian efforts — Momani insists Canadians have an obligation to protect the remaining rescuers.
Listen to the full conversation near the top of this page.
This segment was produced by The Current's Kristin Nelson.