Syrian artist sends support message for Turkey on fight with wildfires

By Ahmet Karaahmet and Ethem Emre Ozcan

IDLIB, Syria (AA) - A Syrian graffiti artist has painted the wall of a house in the northwestern province of Idlib that shows the fight against forest fires in Turkey.

Aziz Esmer, known for drawing important global events on the walls of destroyed buildings in the province, this time turned his focus to forest fires in Turkey.

Esmer painted graffiti on a house in Binnis district where he lived with the words, "Get well soon, Turkey.”

His work in solidarity with Turkish people describes the response of a firefighter to a fire in an area close to a refugee settlement.

He expressed to Anadolu Agency his sadness about the ongoing wildfires.

"After the start of forest fires in Turkey and their reach to settlements, solidarity with Turkey was necessary. Turkey has given martyrs in Syria. Therefore, we had to stand in solidarity with Turkey,” he said.

Esmer stressed his desire to put out the fires as soon as possible. "We are sending our wishes to the Turkish people to get well soon with the drawing we made on a wall in Binnis,” he said.

He cited Turkey's support for the oppressed in Syria: "We believe that the fires will be over in the near future. I hope this will be the end of bitter sadness. Our hearts are with the Turkish people,” he said.

Turkey's Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said earlier that 16,603 residents from 3,219 households in 28 neighborhoods were evacuated because of the fires in the southern part of the country.

At least eight people were killed since the fires started last Wednesday.

*Writing by Merve Berker