美國譴責七名“敘利亞白頭盔”成員被殺害

The United States is condemning the murders of seven Syrian White Helmet civil defense members in rebel-controlled Idlib province.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert calls the murders sad and horrifying.

"These cowardly acts of masked men took the lives of civilian volunteers who work tirelessly as first responders in order to save lives in incredibly dangerous environments," she said in a statement.

Nauert says the U.S. sends it condolences to the families of those she calls "heroes," and hopes they can find justice.

The White Helmets say unidentified gunmen shot the seven members dead during a raid on their base Saturday in the town of Sarmin, west of Idlib city. Two vans, some white headgear that identify the volunteers, and walkie-talkies were stolen.

No one has claimed responsibility. Idlib province is controlled by the Syrian rebel group called Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. It condemned what it calls an "ugly crime," vows to hunt down the killers and promises to protect the White Helmets.

The White Helmets are Syrian civil defense workers who volunteer to rush in with no hesitation to pull civilians out of bombed buildings in rebel-held areas.

A number have been killed in the line of duty. They received global renown after they were nominated for the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize.

Despite criticism they back the rebels against the Syrian government, the White Helmets insist they take no sides in the war.美國譴責敘利亞反政府武裝控制的伊德利卜省七名“敘利亞白頭盔”民間防衛組織成員被殺害。

美國國務院發言人諾爾特說，這些成員被殺害是令人難過和可怕的。

努爾特在一份聲明中說：“蒙面者殺害平民志願者是一種懦夫行徑。這些志願者作爲急救人員在極其危險的環境裏爲挽救生命而不知疲倦地努力。”

諾爾特說，美國對被她稱爲“英雄”的遇難者的家屬表示哀悼，說希望正義能夠得到伸張。

敘利亞白頭盔表示，不明身份的槍手星期六對該組織在伊德利卜省西部一個小鎮的基地發動了突襲，開槍打死七名成員。兩輛麪包車、一些象徵該組織的白色帽子和步話機被盜。

沒有人宣佈對襲擊負責。敘利亞反政府武裝沙姆陣線控制伊德利卜省。該組織譴責了襲擊，稱襲擊是“骯髒的犯罪”，並誓言要抓捕兇手，保護白頭盔組織。

白頭盔是敘利亞民間防務人員，他們志願在反政府武裝控制的區域從被轟炸的建築物內迅速搶救平民。

一些成員在第一線工作時殉職。他們獲得2016年諾貝爾和平獎提名後在國際社會上出名。

儘管有批評指責白頭盔支持反政府武裝與敘利亞政府作戰，但他們堅持表示，他們在敘利亞內政中是中立的。