Doha/ Information Office/ 18 October 2016/ Qatar Fund for Development, in collaboration with Qatar Red Crescent, has signed a grant agreement to support Syrian Civil Defense Organization 'White Helmets' in order to provide it with the heavy machinery and equipment that are necessary for the work of the civil defense in the areas of conflict which are witnessing military clashes. Qatar Fund for Development said in a statement Tuesday that this assistance for the Organization and Syrian civil defense aims to enhance their service capacities and to provide urgent assistance to those affected. It also aims to support their tasks in the delivery of relief aid to the needy families who suffer from the ravages of armed conflict, reduce the severity of damages through the purchase of necessary equipment and tools and to reduce the rate of environmental diseases resulting from the fires due to shelling, the statement added. The statement emphasised that the Fund attaches great importance in helping the Syrians and alleviate the disastrous consequences of the crisis on civilians, committed to provide all forms of support to save the lives of innocent people and to support reconstruction projects of the devastated areas. For his part, Director General of the Qatar Fund for Development Khalifa bin Jassim Al Kuwari said that the State of Qatar, represented by the Fund, seeks to support the Syrian people and provide effective response plans to crises that affect civilians, noting at the same time to the continuation of the Fund's work for the entry of relief and development aid to the besieged and affected areas. He also expressed interest in partnership with the Qatar Red Crescent, which oversees the implementation and follow-up of the grant provided to the Syrian Civil Defense, calling on all partners around the world to contribute to the reconstruction of Syria and rescue civilians. The role of the White Helmets Organization of the Civil Defense of Syria represents in providing protection to civilians from the dangers of military actions and accelerate the process of recovery from the direct effects of these actions, at a time the organization is suffering many difficulties during the performance of its duties.