Diplomats raised concern for safety of Canadian-supported female White Helmet members days before daring 2018 rescue, emails show

'I feel it is worth noting that Canada pushed for [White Helmets] to include women and funded their efforts to recruit and train women. Now those women are in even more danger,' a GAC official wrote.

As opposition forces lost ground in southern Syria, members of the White Helmets occupied an increasingly precarious position in the summer of 2018. Ultimately, 422 members and family members were able to leave the country through a Canadian-led rescue effort. Photograph courtesy of Twitter/The White Helmets

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BY NEIL MOSS

September 30, 2020

In the summer of 2018, as the Assad government was consolidating its position in southern Syria, Canadian officials were working behind the scenes to protect members of the White Helmets—including women members whose participation in the humanitarian effort was actively encouraged by Ottawa—who ...

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