“When the [REAL] Syria Civil Defence are working, attending a rescue, they must divorce from their emotions in order to be 100% effective. When we see the White Helmets ‘working’ they are acting, performing for the camera..it is not real” ~ Colonel of the Damascus Head Quarters of the REAL Syria Civil Defence.

While the multi-million-NATO-Gulf-state-funded White Helmets were scooping the Oscar for the Netflix documentary depicting their “heroic” rescues in “war-torn” Syria, the REAL Syria Civil Defence was continuing with its daily routine of saving Syrian people in Syria, under attack by the same, US, NATO & Gulf state, funded, armed and equipped extremist factions rebranded multiple times to obfuscate their terrorist roots and ideology.

“The RAND Corporation’s recent piece titled, “Al Qaeda in Syria Can Change Its Name, but Not Its Stripes,” all but admits what was already suspected about designated terrorist groups operating in Syria – that they are undergoing a transition in an attempt by their state sponsors to bolster their legitimacy and spare them from liquidation amid the shifting tides on the battlefield.” ~ Tony Cartalucci



21st Century Wire has been exposing the, primarily, UK Foreign Office funded, White Helmets, since their creation in 2013. This faux first responder organisation, established in Turkey and trained by an ex British military mercenary, a “private security” expert, James Le Mesurier, has been taking public perception by storm in the west and successfully “disappearing” the more-than 4000 fully trained paramedics and firefighters who make up the REAL Syria Civil Defence.

Compilation of a number of articles on the White Helmets: WHO ARE SYRIA’S WHITE HELMETS?

In western perception, that has been entirely controlled by corporate media and NATO aligned NGO spin, the White Helmets are the ONLY first responders, saving Syrians from the rubble of bombed buildings. Not true. The reality is, the REAL Syria Civil Defence worked in areas controlled by both Syrian Government and NATO/Gulf state militants until very recently. In 2016, a decision was taken to protect the REAL Syria Civil Defence from terrorist attacks and their operations were limited to the Syrian Government held zones. This was revealed to me by the Colonel of the REAL Syria Civil Defence in Damascus on December 20th 2016.

However, even if the REAL Syria Civil Defence do only operate in Syrian government held areas of Syria, effectively that means they are servicing over 80% of the Syrian population including a huge number of IDPs (internally displaced people), over six million, who have fled the terrorist occupied areas for cities and zones under the protection of the Syrian state.

The following map taken from Wikipedia, was updated three days ago, it shows the huge majority of the populated areas of Syria are under the control of the Syrian state and the Syrian Arab Army..and therefore serviced by the REAL Syria Civil Defence, and not by the NATO & Gulf state-funded White Helmets who operate exclusively in the terrorist and extremist held areas, shown in green and white (and grey) on the map:

It is therefore not surprising that the majority of Syrians living in the heavily populated areas of Syria have never heard of the White Helmets. A fact, that might shock White Helmet supporters in the UK, EU and US who have been deceived into believing that these “saviours of all humanity” are omnipresent in Syria and responsible for the bulk of the humanitarian work being provided to the beleaguered Syrian population.

This is another one of the many fallacies sold to an unsuspecting public by the corporate media, in particular, who have unquestioningly promoted the White Helmets with blatant disregard for the many opposing views presented by independent media and the Syrian people, themselves. The most recent dismissal of the White Helmet myth came from the many testimonies of Syrian civilians emerging from almost five years occupation and imprisonment under a Nusra Front-led terrorist and extremist regime in East Aleppo.

EAST ALEPPO

I was in East Aleppo during its liberation in December 2016, by the SAA and allies, and I was able to speak with these Syrian civilians who had endured a NATO & Gulf state funded, terrorist, regime of torture, abuse, sectarian executions and ideological tyranny. When I asked them if they knew of the White Helmets, they all said no. When I asked them if they knew of the “civil defence”, they all nodded furiously and said, “yes, yes – Nusra Front civil defence”. Most of them elaborated and told me that the Nusra Front civil defence never helped civilians, they only worked for the armed groups.

This video was compiled from many of those testimonies. Syria White Helmets Hand in Hand with Al Qaeda: WATCH ~

Pierre Le Corf, a young Frenchman, working, independently, as a humanitarian volunteer in Aleppo, on the pre-liberation borders of East and West, also filmed the main White Helmet centre, post evacuation, of the various terrorist and armed militant groups under the Syrian government Amnesty agreement, that allowed the armed groups to leave peacefully in buses provided by the Syrian state, destination Idlib.

In this short film, Le Corf shows us that the White Helmet centre, the main one in East Aleppo, was integrated into the Nusra Front compound [Al Qaeda in Syria] and that this White Helmet centre was adorned with a variety of graffitti and flags affirming the White Helmet affiliation to the various terrorist groups, including Nour Al Din Zinki, responsible for the public beheading of 12 year old Palestinian child, Abdullah Issa, in July 2016. Documents were also discovered, further linking the NATO state funded White Helmets to the NATO state terrorist and extremist factions, White Helmets Living Next Door to Al Qaeda in Aleppo: WATCH ~

I also met with various members of the voluntary organisation, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, that were on the streets of the freshly liberated districts of East Aleppo, providing humanitarian assistance, long after the White Helmets had been evacuated alongside the Nusra Front-led armed groups. I asked them if they had ever seen the White Helmets providing humanitarian aid or rescuing civilians, or even, had they ever worked alongside the SARC that had been able to enter East Aleppo at various points during the almost five year occupation by the armed groups, armed & equipped by NATO and Gulf states via the borders with Turkey. Their response was also, an unequivocal, “no“. WATCH ~

KHATTAB, HAMA

In a recent series of new military fronts, opened by the various US Coalition armed groups, a number of villages and towns in Hama came under pressure and sustained attack. One such village was Khattab that was temporarily taken and occupied by Nusra Front and allies, until the SAA stormed the area and successfully drove the terrorist factions out of the vicinity.

However, during the brief victory for Nusra Front aka Al Qaeda, a video was released by one of their many supporters showing a Nusra fighter crowing over their victory alongside..none other than a White Helmet operative, being described as “greater than the government” and being shown to have taken over the office of the SAA commander: WATCH ~

THE REAL SYRIA CIVIL DEFENCE

The number you call for the REAL Syria Civil Defence inside Syria. (Photo: Lattakia Civil Defence)

During my three trips to Syria in 2016, in July, August and December, I met with the REAL Syria Civil Defence crews in West Aleppo [many originally from East Aleppo], Lattakia, Tartous and Damascus.

My interview with the West Aleppo, Syria civil defence crew is reported at 21st Century Wire: The REAL Syria Civil Defence Exposes Fake White Helmets as Terrorist Linked Imposters

Damascus is the headquarters of the REAL Syria Civil Defence and I met with them in August and December 2016. The compound is about 700 metres from Nusra Front and Jaish al Islam occupied Jobar, on the eastern outskirts of Damascus. The extremist factions in Jobar have extensively tunneled underground but are still responsible for many of the daily mortar attacks, targeting only civilian areas of Damascus city. Fierce battles are currently underway between the SAA and NATO/Gulf state funded extremist factions, following a recent spike in terrorist attacks in Damascus, including the devastating suicide bomber attacks that laid waste to the Court House in central Damascus, leaving many civilians, including children, dead and hundreds maimed and injured.

Map of Damascus, showing districts, including Jobar.

The proximity of the Damascus HQ to the armed groups, including Al Qaeda aka Nusra Front, has led to their being targeted by the terrorist factions, by regular mortar attacks and ground attacks. The REAL Syria Civil Defence compound is well walled and protected but in 2013 the centre came under heavy attack from mortars and Jaish al Islam-led ground forces, according to the Colonel of the Damascus civil defence. In 2014, according to the same colonel, the training tower in the centre of their compound was targeted by Jaish Al Islam mortar fire that damaged part of the tower.

“We have no weapons on site, but the terrorist groups still target us as if we are military.” ~ Commander of the Damascus RSCD

The REAL Syria Civil Defence are genuinely unarmed, unlike the NATO state White Helmet organisation that has been filmed, carrying weapons, and working & celebrating alongside extremist organisations, particularly Nusra Front. Hundreds of photos of White Helmet operatives carrying various weapons have been extensively archived by activists and independent journalists, monitoring and investigating the White Helmet social media emporium.

Training tower in REAL Syria Civil Defence HQ, Damascus. (Photo: Vanessa Beeley)

The colonel in charge of the Damascus RSCD centre told me that since the “crisis” began, six years ago, there have been many invasions of RSCD centres across Syria. Crews have been massacred or kidnapped, ambulances, fire engines and equipment stolen by the invading extremist groups, including Nusra Front, Ahrar al Sham and ISIS.

Raqqa RSCD was attacked in early 2014, the majority of the crew were massacred and ambulance, fire-engines and equipment were stolen. Deir Ezzor RSCD was attacked in 2013, crew members were killed or kidnapped, equipment stolen. Idlib RSCD was attacked in August 2015, crew members were killed or kidnapped, equipment stolen. Much of this equipment, according to the Colonel, was later appropriated by the NATO state funded White Helmets. Many of the RSCD crew members who escaped during these attacks, are now working in RSCD centres in Hama and Homs. Some remained in Deir Ezzor and continued to operate, saving civilians, under the long running ISIS siege and attacks.

The vehicle yard of the RSCD in Damascus. (Photo: Vanessa Beeley)

“The White Helmets are armed militia, they are the same as the Free Syrian Army (FSA) but with the ideology of Nusra Front, they are sectarian and extremist” ~ RSCD commander in Damascus.

For this RSCD centre, the White Helmets represent the propaganda war that is being waged against Syria, threatening to erase all existence of Syrian state institutions like the RSCD that has been in existence for over 63 years compared to the 3 year old White Helmets, proven time and time again to be an integral part of the NATO and Gulf state regime change apparatus and supporting the multitude of extremist and terrorist groups operating inside Syria, funded by the same colonialist state actors. The White Helmets are largely responsible for the stream of propaganda that is used to maintain the demonization of the elected Syrian government, its President, Bashar Al Assad and the Syrian Arab Army.

The commander at the RSCD in Damascus, told me that he believes the terrorist groups were deliberately targeting their crews when they were on a rescue mission, hoping to destroy their ability to help civilians. He told me the armed groups would often pick off the most experienced members of the crew, as if they knew that by doing so they would weaken the crews by reducing the experience within the team.

Truck targeted by NATO state terrorist groups in Homs, killing 3 RSCD crew members instantly. (Photo: Vanessa Beeley)

In April 2014, the Damascus RSCD took part in an emergency call out to Deir Atiyah near Homs. The area had been under attack from Nusra Front and civilians were buried under the rubble of shelled buildings and homes. The fire engine was despatched with full crew, as they neared the site of the shelling, where many civilians were injured or already dead under the rubble, a guided missile fired by the Nusra Front led armed groups, hit the fire engine, killing three crew members immediately. One of those crew members had over 40 years experience in Urban Search and Rescue (USAR). That kind of loss is irreplacable for these humanitarian organisations.

“They were unarmed, they drove to the area in the knowledge that the terrorists would attack them, but their priority were the injured civilians. Their only weapons are their equipment and their skills” ~ Commander of the RSCD, Damascus

From 2011 to the end of 2015, 77 RSCD crew members have been killed, in Syria, by the various NATO/Gulf state armed groups. Others have been kidnapped and are still missing, there are no official numbers of the kidnapped rescue workers.

Engineer Saad and Engineer Al Masry were two crew members of the Damascus RSCD who were injured by Jaish Al Islam-led attacks on the operations centre close to Jobar. The following are their brief testimonies of those attacks: WATCH ~

I asked the commander what mechanisms were in place to care for injured RSCD members if they are no longer able to work. He told me that there are two levels of care, first level is the Syrian government that provides the primary financial assistance, the second level is local NGOs who also provide financial and social assistance. The Syria Civil Defence, itself, also cares for retired or injured workers but is in need of greater support to be able to provide optimum care to their employees, according to the commander.

“We need greater support, whatever we do for these people, its not enough to compensate for their loss or their suffering. I lost my own son, a Captain, fighting with the Syrian Arab Army, killed in battle in Daraya, he left behind two young children. Everyone in Syria is coping with loss.” ~ Commander, RSCD Damascus

The commander went on:

“The original headquarters were close to Al Abassiyn square in Jobar, an area that has been intensively targeted by the terrorist factions, Jaish al Islam and Nusra Front. We were constantly under attack. One day I was leaving the buildings and going to my car. A mortar hit near the car. Three RSCD members were killed in that attack, my driver received a serious head injury and was paralysed..eventually he was discharged. After that attack we vacated that building and moved to this building. The Syrian Arab Army took over the old building and turned it into a defence against the terrorist factions in Jobar, Jaish al Islam, Nusra Front and others”

Entrance to the old HQ of the RSCD in Al Abassiyn, Jobar. Now an SAA outpost containing the Jaish al Islam, Nusra Front occupation. (Photo: Vanessa Beeley)

Trenches had been dug to prevent NATO state funded terrorist groups digging tunnels under the SAA compound and detonating them. (Photo: Vanessa Beeley)

The entire RSCD building had been converted into a military outpost with all rooms sandbagged and windows turned into sniping points. (Photo: Vanessa Beeley)

Room with a view of Jobar through one of the SAA sniper slits in the windows overlooking the Jaish al Islam/Nusra Front occupied 4 km sq of Jobar.

INTERNATIONAL CIVIL DEFENCE ORGANISATION, GENEVA

It has been mentioned in previous articles that the RSCD is a founder member of the ICDO, the official UN and Red Cross affiliated International Civil Defence Organisation, based in Geneva. The RSCD in Damascus told me that prior to the conflict, so pre 2011, the RSCD participated in all official ICDO conferences and international seminars. Between 1999 and 2003 Syria was an active member of the EuroMed/Arab country project that fostered co-operation between these nations on the humanitarian, USAR fronts.

Syria had one of the best records for training disaster evacuation and USAR techniques globally and had won awards through its membership with the ICDO. I was shown documentation of many of these awards. In 2010 Syria was involved in the training of UN staff and was again awarded medals for the excellence of its training and the extent of its expertise.

Just prior to the announcement of the Nobel Peace Prize, 2016, I was informed by Joaquin Flores that the ICDO website link to the REAL Syria Civil Defence had been re-routed to the White Helmets who were making their famous, and heavily corporate media supported, bid for the Nobel prize. The following morning I called the ICDO to ask them why the link had been tampered with. During this brief conversation, the ICDO confirmed the following points to me:

1: The White Helmets are not recognised by the ICDO & are not members of the ICDO

2: The White Helmets are not even “concretely” a civil defence organisation

3: The White Helmets is the “wrong” civil defence

4: The only civil defence recognised by the ICDO and the UN is the “official” Syria Civil Defence.

The full audio recording is here:

Despite the best efforts of the White Helmets, their sponsors and the NATO aligned media promoters, they failed in their bid for the Nobel Peace Prize although this did not stop them immediately producing a campaign to raise the money they “would have won” had they been given the prize for “peace”.

The White Helmets Nobel fundraiser to compensate them for not winning the 2016 peace prize. (Photo: Screenshot)

Nor did it prevent the White Helmets and their marketing campaign managers immediately launching the bid for the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize:

“We cannot compete with the publicity that the White Helmets have. We are surviving on a meagre government salary. We don’t have the millions at our disposal that have been given to the White Helmets. How do they receive this money, when we struggle to even replace essential equipment because of the US/EU sanctions?” ~ RSCD commander, Damascus.

The commander told me that, while the ICDO will not issue a public statement in support of the REAL Syria Civil Defence, citing its neutrality as the reasoning behind this decision, it does however still demand the full annual, financial contribution from the RSCD, 20,000 Swiss Francs ($ 20,000). The US/EU sanctions mean that the RSCD cannot pay from inside Damascus as no bank transfers are allowed, instead they are forced to send a delegation to Geneva with the cash funds.

This somewhat humiliating procedure for a member state organisation that has won awards for its contributions to global humanitarian campaigns is even more astounding when one considers the equipment and finance that seemingly pours over the Turkish border into the White Helmet account, as they work side by side with Nusra Front, Ahrar al Sham, Nour al Din Zinki, to name a few among many other extremist, sectarian, US coalition-armed groups who depend upon the White Helmets for amateur paramedic treatment and propaganda cover for their criminal activities, including the execution of SAA prisoners of war.

In fact, funding for the White Helmets seems to bypass all controls placed upon even the most insignificant fundraiser for Syria under the US/EU sanctions. The White Helmets “give everything” according to their promotional memes, but in reality, they are receiving a mind-blowing level of funding for an ostensibly ordinary NGO comprising 3000 employees maximum, who take a documented, monthly stipend of $ 150.

One of the many White Helmet public funding campaigns that run in parallel with the estimated $ 250m that is being provided by their US, UK, EU, NATO and Gulf state backers.

An example of how the US/EU sanctions affect the RSCD is the ambulance that was parked in one of the many bullet holed and shell damaged hangars in the Damascus compound. This ambulance had been gutted in Hama by the armed groups, the vehicle itself had been recovered but it was devoid of life saving equipment and under the sanctions, the RSCD has been unable to replace any of this equipment, rendering the vehicle useless in a rescue operation. Prior to the crisis, Holland and Germany had been primary suppliers to the RSCD, now that supply chain is frozen. Both countries, however, have redirected their funding to the UK, US intelligence agency construct, the White Helmets.

“On the margins of the UN General Assembly, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has met with representatives of the White Helmets to discuss the situation in Syria shortly they were presented with the” Alternative Nobel Prize “. He expressed his great respect for their courageous and dangerous work. The Federal Foreign Office is supporting the White Helmets and has recently increased the funds made available for this purpose by two to a total of seven million euros this year. ” ~ translation of the statement from German FO

Holland donated 4.5 million euros, to the Al Qaeda civil defence aka White Helmets, in 2016.

So, while the RSCD services over 80% of the war-torn Syrian population on a shoestring budget, under punitive sanctions, the White Helmets exclusively service territory governed by the US coalition [NATO & Gulf states] funded and armed terrorist and extremist groups carrying out all manner of sectarian atrocities against the Syrian people trapped in those areas. No wonder the UK Government has labelled it “non humanitarian” aid.

“I’m proud to say we’re giving them I think £32 million [US$39.78 million] funding as part of a wider £65 million package for non-humanitarian aid,” ~ Boris Johnson

RSCD ambulance stripped of essential equipment by armed groups in Hama. (Photo: Vanessa Beeley)

The RSCD has always specialised in helping refugees and working in all evacuation situations. In 2008 they had prepared to house and rescue more than 100,000 civilians in the event of an earthquake or other natural disaster in Syria. Warehouses had been built to store blankets, mattresses and equipment. The majority of these warehouses have been looted by the various armed gangs.

Since 2011, the RSCD has trained more than 6000 women in first aid and wound care. During a 15 day course, the women spend one week at the RSCD headquarters and then a further week in local hospitals to be trained in basic paramedic procedures. This is never mentioned by the western corporate media, all too keen to promote the suddenly emerging female White Helmets who are replacing their male counterparts in the advertising for this US/UK/EU Gulf state funded organisation.

UK FUNDING FOR WHITE HELMETS

A recent development in the funding pattern of the UK government with regards to the very British affair of the White Helmets needs further investigation. Should UK Taxpayers not be asking why they are being persuaded to give public donations to the White Helmets via various funding campaigns, including the Jo Cox fund, when the White Helmets are being funded, at least £32m and a possible further undisclosed amount under cover of the UK regime’s Conflict, Stability and Security fund as “Non-Humanitarian aid.”

“A £1bn-plus British conflict, stability and security fund (CSSF) is so secret that a committee of senior MPs and peers meant to be scrutinising it can’t even be told the names of the 40 countries where it is spent. The problem was raised on Monday with the home secretary, Amber Rudd, by a former Conservative defence minister Archie Hamilton, who said MPs had been told the names of the countries had to remain secret because those that received funds would be embarrassed and those that didn’t would be jealous. Rudd told the joint committee on national security strategy that the fund was spent on 97 programmes in 40 different countries. “They do a great job in reaching out, addressing UK interests in unstable areas,” she said. “They include groups such as the White Helmets in Syria, who do a great job.” The White Helmets are a volunteer civil defence force that operates in rebel-held areas in Syria.” ~ The Guardian

Perhaps the answer lies in this statement made by the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Philip Jones and reported by UK Column:

CONCLUSION

The REAL Syria Civil Defence are the real Syrians helping real Syrians in Syria. This fact is indisputable, all logical, rational thinkers must draw this conclusion based upon analysis of the evidence that has been supplied by many independent sources, on the ground in Syria or in contact with reliable, non NATO aligned or funded, sources inside Syria.

Perhaps one of the most egregious crimes of this dirty war being waged on Syria for the last six years, is the ferocious undermining of the Syrian state’s ability to take care of its own people. Against all odds, the Syrian state has persisted in providing services, food, water and essential supplies to its population, even to those areas occupied by the assorted armed extremist groups.

The White Helmets are responsible for the maintenance of the US coalition war on Syria. They produce the desired propaganda when needed to, either to distract from the criminal operations of the US coaliton as when it bombed the SAA soldiers in Deir Ezzor, for over an hour in September 2016, killing over 70 Syrian soldiers fighting ISIS in that area, or when there is a requirement for renewed interest in a No Fly Zone to enable NATO states to, once more, reduce a sovereign nation to scorched earth.

The following incident was instigated by the White Helmets as a smokescreen for the US coalition war crime committed in Deir Ezzor. This false flag was triggered 24 hours after the US coalition bombing of the SAA soldiers:

“In September 2016, the White Helmets were also instrumental in trying to assign blame for an incident where a UN Aid Convoy was attacked outside of the town of Urm al-Kubra, west of Aleppo. The west were quick to blame it on the Russian and Syria militaries – despite the fact there was no evidence to implicate them.” ~ Forget Oscar: Give The White Helmets the Leni Riefenstahl Award for Best War Propaganda Film

One of the original funders of the Netflix Documentary on the White Helmets pulled its funding because of the White Helmet propensity for No Fly Zones. The Threshold Foundation withdrew considerable funding for the project and issued this statement:

“We have since learned that the subject of the film (the White Helmets organization) and others involved in this film are advocating for strategies that could entail international military force and escalated violence.”

PDF of the Threshold Foundation statement here.

The White Helmets are one of the biggest propaganda heists ever seen in recent colonialist history. To suggest this organisation is “unarmed and neutral” is fraudulent. To suggest they are humanitarian is inaccurate and misleading as their videos demonstrate minimal paramedic expertise and maximum cinematic exploitation. They are a rag tag collection of armed fighters, co-opted into the terrorist and extremist gangs that are occupying areas of Syria and persecuting the civilians of those areas. In East Aleppo, civilians told us, ‘they left injured Syrians under the rubble to die, only performing when the camera was turned on.’

The REAL Syria Civil Defence has none of the funding of the their US, British, NATO intelligence shadow state counterpart, but they have ten thousand times the integrity. They are recognised and respected by the Syrian people as the ones they call when they are in trouble. They are the officially recognised Syria civil defence that has received accolades for its global humanitarian excellence. In Syria, they are irreplaceable, despite the best efforts of the US, British, NATO and Gulf state organised crime syndicate.

The REAL Syria Civil Defence are the REAL heroes for the Syrian people and no amount of international deception or Hollywood glamour will ever enable the White Helmets to take their place in Syria.