The Syrian Civil Defense Corps, known as The White Helmets, constantly seeks new volunteers to attend training classes on rescue and first aid, in part due to the constant loss of aid workers in dangerous rescue operations in Eastern Ghouta, on the outskirts of Damascus.
This video shot in Zamalka shows volunteers undergoing training classes to increase their preparedness for their next rescue mission. It also follows Civil Defense volunteers on a real-life rescue mission, where they hurry to the site of a bomb blast to rescue victims and perform critical first aid.
Between October 5 and December 10, 2015, Brazilian videographer Gabriel Chaim shot a series of drone videos showing the situation in northern Syria, on the frontlines of the battle between Kurdish YPG forces and ISIS militants.
Video shows the shattered remains of Kobane, devastated by the battle with ISIS, and since re-captured by Kurdish forces; as well as the frontlines near Raqqa, the de-facto captial of the so-called Islamic State.
Video shot between October 5 and December 10, 2015.
Drone Footage showing Kurdish YPG forces consolidating positions on the frontline near the Syrian town of Ayn Issa, close to the Islamic State controlled city of Raqqa.
In July, 2015, Kurdish forces launched a military campaign to re-take the town of Ayn Issa and other villages held by Islamic State militants.
Video shot between October 5 and December 10, 2015.
Drone Footage showing Kurdish YPG forces consolidating positions on the frontline near the Syrian town of Ayn Issa, close to the Islamic State controlled city of Raqqa.
In July, 2015, Kurdish forces launched a military campaign to re-take the town of Ayn Issa and other villages held by Islamic State militants.
Video shot between October 5 and December 10, 2015.
Drone footage showing reconstruction efforts in the Kurdish city of Kobane, on the Syrian border with Turkey. Workers and machinery remove debris in the areas that were destroyed during intense fighting between Kurdish forces and Islamic State militants. In the outskirts of the city, refugee camps were set up for people who fled Raqqa, the capital of the so called Islamic State.
Video shot between October 5 and December 10, 2015.
Drone footage showing reconstruction efforts in the Kurdish city of Kobane, on the Syrian border with Turkey. Workers and machinery remove debris in the areas that were destroyed during intense fighting between Kurdish forces and Islamic State militants. In the outskirts of the city, refugee camps were set up for people who fled Raqqa, the capital of the so called Islamic State.
GRAPHIC IMAGES
Drone footage filmed in December 2015 near Suluk, Syria north of Raqqa showing a deep cavern where ISIS militants threw the bodies of their victims.
Video contains some graphic images of human remains.
Syrian refugees take shelter in Izmir's Basmane train station in Turkey, while they wait for an opportunity to leave for Europe.
Syrian refugees take shelter in Izmir's Basmane train station in Turkey, while they wait for an opportunity to leave for Europe.
Syrian refugees take shelter in Izmir's Basmane train station in Turkey, while they wait for an opportunity to leave for Europe.
Syrian refugees take shelter in Izmir's Basmane train station in Turkey, while they wait for an opportunity to leave for Europe.
Syrian refugees take shelter in Izmir's Basmane train station in Turkey, while they wait for an opportunity to leave for Europe.
Syrian refugees take shelter in Izmir's Basmane train station in Turkey, while they wait for an opportunity to leave for Europe.
B-Roll footage of refugees stranded at Croatia border crossing with Serbia.
Refugees cross the border from Croatia into Slovenia at Rigonce. They are greeted by Slovenian police and volunteers from the Red Cross, who divide the migrants into groups and then escort them to a bus. The refugees are taken away for registration at a refugee center in the town of Brežice.
Various shots of streets and the old market in the government-controlled part of Damascus, Syria.
Note: Interview with Damascus residents about life in the city (not translated)
Thousands of refugees entered Austria on foot from Hungary on Saturday and Sunday. Austria and Germany opened borders for them after they got stuck in Budapest train station Keleti for several days. Refugees walked on foot and were later taken by 60 buses from Hungarian authorities to the border which they crossed on foot. After stopping buses, some people decided to walk to Austria, some were donated with train and bus tickets from Hungarian citizens and charities and some were driven to the border by people in private cars.
In Austria, exausted refugees got warm welcome from Red Cross people, social workers of Bundeswehr and volunteers. People donated food, drinks, clothes, toys to them.
In the bordertown of Nickelsdorf, refugees can rest and wait for trains and buses to Vienna and Germany. German police took controll over the situation and trains are guarded by German policemen. Refugees wait near railway station or in the hangar built originally for famous Nova Rock music festival. There are hygienical facilities, warm blankets, field beds, food, drinks, donated clothers and shoes. For children, toys and various activities are prepared.
Numbers of refugees resting in hangar are changing. At this time, approximately 300 people are waiting for next transport to Germany. Another 100 is waiting in the railway station. For those crossing the border by foot, the buses are waiting directly there and transport them to the train.
„Austria is perfect,“ thanks Ibrahim, young man from Syria for everything. „Austrian people gave us smile, hug, food. We feel welcomed here.“ They blame Hungary for getting them closed in railway station in Budapest with no facilities and for police actions they experienced there.
Despite all, children are full of energy. They discover new toys and want to try each facility the hangar and outside land offer to them. They can draw, paint, bicycle, play footbal, take toys which they like. They want to spend every moment by playing and doing things so natural for their age – and different from those they experienced along their journey from war zones.
There are also newborn babies. Nadja whose parents are from Afghanistan was born on the way, in Greece, six weeks ago. Her young mother managed to continue walking to Austria.
Further she will continue in comfortable speed train, offered for free by Austrian and German authorities.
During the weekend, 12 000 asylum seekers entered Austria and continued towards Germany.
00:00: W/S: Hangar originally built for Nova Rock music festival is now full of refugees who rest here before last part of their journey, to Germany.
00:07: W/S: Young men playing football in front of a hangar in Nickelsdorf while waiting for transport to Germany.
00:14: M/S: Man resting in front of a hangar in Nickelsdorf while waiting for transport to Germany.
00:21: W/S: People resting after exhausting walk thru Hungary towards Austrian border.
00:28: M/S: Refugees discussing while resting and waiting for transport to Germany in a hangar in Nickelsdorf.
00:35: M/S: Refugees receiving food from volunteers in hangar in Nickelsdorf, Austria.
00:42: M/S: Refugees receiving food from volunteers in hangar in Nickelsdorf, Austria.
00:49: M/S: Refugees resting and waiting for transport to Germany in a hangar in Nickelsdorf.
00:56: D/S: Man resting before next journey to the Germany.
01:03: SOT: Sabine Lamberti, a volunteer:
No, not really. Why sould we be afraid? I mean, there are bad people, maybe there are bad people, but you also have bad people in Austria. Do you know what I mean? I mean in every country you have good people and you have bad people. It does have nothing to do with the nationality.
01:28: D/S: Welcome to Europe – Austrian volunteers have written on the Hungarian – Austrian border to show to the refugees different attitude towards them as they experienced in Budapest.
01:35: D/S: Sabine Lamberti welcoming new refugees who already reached Austria.
01:45: D/S: Woman trying to find suitable clean clothers for her family among things donated by Austrian people.
01:53: W/S: Ambulance vehicles and mobile toilets near the railway station in bordertown of Nickelsdorf from where special refugee trains to Vienna and Germany depart.
01:59: M/S: Refugees waiting for train to Germany in Nickelsdorf railway station.
02:07: M/S: TV crews working on Nickelsdorf railway station, covering the migration crisis.
02:15: W/S: Refugees entering the special train in railway station in Nickelsdorf which will transport them to Vienna for the next train to Germany.
02:22: W/S: Refugees entering the special train in railway station in Nickelsdorf which will transport them to Vienna for the next train to Germany.
02:29: W/S: Special train for refugees is departing from Nickelsdorf.
Thousands of refugees entered Austria on foot from Hungary on Saturday and Sunday. Austria and Germany opened borders for them after they got stuck in Budapest train station Keleti for several days. Refugees walked on foot and were later taken by 60 buses from Hungarian authorities to the border which they crossed on foot. After stopping buses, some people decided to walk to Austria, some were donated with train and bus tickets from Hungarian citizens and charities and some were driven to the border by people in private cars.
In Austria, exausted refugees got warm welcome from Red Cross people, social workers of Bundeswehr and volunteers. People donated food, drinks, clothes, toys to them.
In the bordertown of Nickelsdorf, refugees can rest and wait for trains and buses to Vienna and Germany. German police took controll over the situation and trains are guarded by German policemen. Refugees wait near railway station or in the hangar built originally for famous Nova Rock music festival. There are hygienical facilities, warm blankets, field beds, food, drinks, donated clothers and shoes. For children, toys and various activities are prepared.
Numbers of refugees resting in hangar are changing. At this time, approximately 300 people are waiting for next transport to Germany. Another 100 is waiting in the railway station. For those crossing the border by foot, the buses are waiting directly there and transport them to the train.
"Austria is perfect,“ thanks Ibrahim, young man from Syria for everything. "Austrian people gave us smile, hug, food. We feel welcomed here." They blame Hungary for getting them closed in railway station in Budapest with no facilities and for police actions they experienced there.
Despite all, children are full of energy. They discover new toys and want to try each facility the hangar and outside land offer to them. They can draw, paint, bicycle, play footbal, take toys which they like. They want to spend every moment by playing and doing things so natural for their age – and different from those they experienced along their journey from war zones.
There are also newborn babies. Nadja whose parents are from Afghanistan was born on the way, in Greece, six weeks ago. Her young mother managed to continue walking to Austria.
Further she will continue in comfortable speed train, offered for free by Austrian and German authorities.
During the weekend, 12 000 asylum seekers entered Austria and continued towards Germany.
Shotlist:
00:00 SOT: Sabine Lamberti, a Austrian volunteer:
No, not really. Why sould we be afraid? I mean, there are bad people, maybe there are bad people, but you also have bad people in Austria. Do you know what I mean? I mean in every country you have good people and you have bad people. It does have nothing to do with the nationality. I by myself I own a castle, Schloss Konigshof, that´s in Bruckneudorf, and I should get first refugees next week who will live in my castle because my castle is very big, I have 60 500 square metres just living alone with two dogs. So I said: Okay, there are such a lot of people who are sleeping on the street in Traiskirchen who don´t have anymore a place, living in tents in the street, on the floor. So I open my castle and I will have the people to say: Welcome and live in my castle. Next week I should get the first.
I am here because I want to help that people who are such a long time on the trip to come in a country where is no war, where nobody is behind them, and to help them and to say: Hello, welcome, welcome, welcome.
There were people with who I was crying when the came from the bus. They are so nice. They are coming here with nothing, with flipflops on their feet, and yesterday evening it was so cold and such a wind. And to help them – everybody has to do it. They are human beings and we should all together help them.
00:09: W/S: Hangar originally built for Nova Rock music festival is now full of refugees who rest here before last part of their journey, to Germany.
00:16: W/S: Young men playing football in front of a hangar in Nickelsdorf while waiting for transport to Germany.
00:23: M/S: Man resting in front of a hangar in Nickelsdorf while waiting for transport to Germany.
00:30: W/S: People resting after exhausting walk thru Hungary towards Austrian border.
00:38: M/S: Refugees discussing while resting and waiting for transport to Germany in a hangar in Nickelsdorf.
00:44: M/S: Refugees receiving food from volunteers in hangar in Nickelsdorf, Austria.
00:51: M/S: Refugees receiving food from volunteers in hangar in Nickelsdorf, Austria.
00:58: M/S: Refugees resting and waiting for transport to Germany in a hangar in Nickelsdorf.
01:05: D/S: Man resting before next journey to the Germany.
01:12: SOT: Sabine Lamberti, a volunteer
01:20: D/S: Welcome to Europe – Austrian volunteers have written on the Hungarian – Austrian border to show to the refugees different attitude towards them as they experienced in Budapest.
01:28: D/S: Sabine Lamberti welcoming new refugees who already reached Austria.
01:38: D/S: Woman trying to find suitable clean clothers for her family among things donated by Austrian people.
01:45: W/S: Ambulance vehicles and mobile toilets near the railway station in bordertown of Nickelsdorf from where special refugee trains to Vienna and Germany depart.
01:52: M/S: Refugees waiting for train to Germany in Nickelsdorf railway station.
01:59: M/S: TV crews working on Nickelsdorf railway station, covering the migration crisis.
02:27: W/S: Refugees entering the special train in railway station in Nickelsdorf which will transport them to Vienna for the next train to Germany.
02:15: W/S: Refugees entering the special train in railway station in Nickelsdorf which will transport them to Vienna for the next train to Germany.
02:22: W/S: Special train for refugees is departing from Nickelsdorf.
Migrants wait at Mitilini Port, in the Greek island of Lesbos, for a ferry boat to reach Athens. They have endured a perilous journey on small inflatable boats from Turkey.
Migrants wait in crowded queues to obtain a transit permit at Mitilini Port Police, in the Greek island of Lesbos, after enduring a perilous journey on small inflatable boats from Turkey.
An Afghan migrant faints after waiting in a crowded queue to obtain a transit permit at Mitilini Port Police, in the Greek island of Lesbos. He and other migrants have endured a perilous journey form Turkey on board small boats.
A migrant celebrates his safe arrival onboard a small boat to the Greek island of Lesbos. He was among a group of 50 migrants who have endured a perilous journey arrived from Turkey to reach Skala Sikamias, in Lesbos.
A man tries to re-comfort his daughter upon their arrival on a small inflatable boat from Turkey to the Greek island of Lesbos.
Up to 2,000 Afghan migrants await their turn to register at Moria identification camp after their arrival on small boats to the Greek island of Lesbos.
Up to 2,000 Afghan migrants await their turn to register at Moria identification camp after their arrival on small boats to the Greek island of Lesbos.
Up to 2,000 Afghan migrants await their turn to register at Moria identification camp after their arrival on small boats to the Greek island of Lesbos.
A mother and her child rest while waiting for registration. Up to 2,000 Afghan migrants await their turn to register at Moria identification camp after their arrival on small boats to the Greek island of Lesbos.
Up to 2,000 Afghan migrants await their turn to register at Moria identification camp after their arrival on small boats to the Greek island of Lesbos.
Bread distribution queues at Moria refugee camp in Lesbos. Up to 2,000 Afghan migrants await their turn to register at Moria identification camp after their arrival on small boats to the Greek island of Lesbos.
Bread distribution queues at Moria refugee camp in Lesbos. Up to 2,000 Afghan migrants await their turn to register at Moria identification camp after their arrival on small boats to the Greek island of Lesbos.
Bread distribution at Moria refugee camp in Lesbos. Up to 2,000 Afghan migrants await their turn to register at Moria identification camp after their arrival on small boats to the Greek island of Lesbos.
Up to 2,000 Afghan migrants await their turn to register at Moria identification camp after their arrival on small boats to the Greek island of Lesbos.
Up to 2,000 Afghan migrants await their turn to register at Moria identification camp after their arrival on small boats to the Greek island of Lesbos.
Up to 2,000 Afghan migrants await their turn to register at Moria identification camp after their arrival on small boats to the Greek island of Lesbos.
Up to 2,000 Afghan migrants await their turn to register at Moria identification camp after their arrival on small boats to the Greek island of Lesbos.
Up to 2,000 Afghan migrants await their turn to register at Moria identification camp after their arrival on small boats to the Greek island of Lesbos.
Migrants buy bread and baby shoes at Moria refugee center in Lesbos. Up to 2,000 Afghan migrants await their turn to register at Moria identification camp after their arrival on small boats to the Greek island of Lesbos.
Up to 2,000 Afghan migrants await their turn to register at Moria identification camp after their arrival on small boats to the Greek island of Lesbos.
A small inflatable boat with around 50 migrants onboard reaches the coast of Skala Sikamias beach, in the Greek island of Lesbos, after crossing the 14 kilometers that separates them from Turkey's shores.
A small inflatable boat with around 50 migrants onboard reaches the coast of Skala Sikamias beach, in the Greek island of Lesbos, after crossing the 14 kilometers that separates them from Turkey's shores.