DAMASCUS: Syria has deployed its first-ever international search-and-rescue team to assist earthquake-hit Venezuela, marking a historic milestone in the country’s humanitarian response efforts.
According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the mission includes 15 trained search-and-rescue specialists who departed from Damascus International Airport to support emergency operations in areas devastated by the recent earthquakes.
The deployment is being carried out in coordination with Qatar’s International Search and Rescue Group (Lekhwiya), which is providing heavy machinery and specialized equipment to strengthen field operations.
The mission was launched under the direction of President Ahmad al-Sharaa and is jointly coordinated by Syria’s Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
SANA described the operation as the first overseas humanitarian mission undertaken by Syria’s newly established national search-and-rescue team and the first time the country has dispatched an emergency response unit to assist another nation following a natural disaster.
Venezuela continues to battle the aftermath of two powerful earthquakes that struck the country earlier this week. According to official figures, at least 920 people have been killed and more than 3,300 injured, while search-and-rescue operations remain underway amid concerns that the death toll could continue to rise.
The joint Syrian-Qatari mission forms part of broader international relief efforts aimed at supporting rescue operations and delivering humanitarian assistance to affected communities.
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