activist

Raed al-Saleh

رائد الصالح

Also known as: White Helmets leader • Syria Civil Defence head

Journeys

Raed al-Saleh and the White Helmets: Rescuing Syria's Civilians from the Rubble

From Aleppo Province, the White Helmets became the world's most documented civilian rescue operation — and a target of disinformation campaigns by the Assad government and Russia.

Biography

Raed al-Saleh is the head of the Syria Civil Defence, better known as the White Helmets — the volunteer rescue organization that operated in opposition-held areas of Syria, responding to airstrikes, barrel bombs, and other attacks to pull survivors from rubble. The White Helmets, founded in 2013, ultimately saved more than 115,000 lives according to their records, and won the 2016 Right Livelihood Award (the 'Alternative Nobel'). Al-Saleh was born in Atarib, Aleppo Province — itself a frequent target of Syrian and Russian airstrikes — and became the public face of the organization, testifying before the UN Security Council and advocating internationally for a no-fly zone and civilian protection measures. The White Helmets' footage of rescue operations became some of the most significant documentation of the Syrian war's impact on civilians, and the organization and its members were subject to disinformation campaigns by pro-Assad and Russian media attempting to discredit their work.

Documentation Status

VerificationConfirmed

Journeys1

Key Facts

Born:1980

Place:Atarib, Aleppo, Syria

Nationality:Syrian