BEIRUT (Reuters) - Seven volunteers with the Syrian civil defense rescue service were killed in a shooting by unidentified attackers in rebel-held Idlib province on Saturday, the civil defense said on its Twitter feed.

The attackers stole two vehicles and other equipment in the incident targeting a civil defense office in the town of Sarmin at dawn. Idlib province in northwestern Syria is controlled by Syrian rebels groups.

The civil defense, otherwise known as the “White Helmets”, operates in rebel-held areas of Syria.