The 21-year-old Syrian who risked his life for Oscar-nominated documentary

Twenty-one-year-old Khaled Khatib is a cinematographer and press officer for the Syrian White Helmets.

The group, also known as the Syrian Civil Defense, works tirelessly to rescue civilians affected by the country’s devastating civil war.

In 2015, Khatib met British director Orlando von Einsiedel and was recruited to document the group’s rescue missions for the upcoming film “The White Helmets.”

The 40-minute Netflix documentary, which has been nominated for an Oscar in the best documentary short subject category, follows three rescue workers from their training in Turkey to when they put their lives on the line to save civilians.

Khatib was responsible for much of the footage, capturing some of the most defining moments of the civil war: from men scouring rubble for life to the faint cries of newborn babies to the constant fear of when the next barrel bomb might be.

After a dramatic couple of weeks, Khatib received a visa to travel to the United States for Sunday’s Oscar ceremony.

However, a day before the event he announced on Twitter he would not be attending, citing the “intensity of work” and saying “our priority is helping our people.”

The White Helmets later tweeted that his passport had been “cancelled by the Syrian regime, despite having been issued a US visa specifically to attend the awards ceremony.”

When asked about Khatib’s situation, DHS Spokesperson Gillian Christensen told CNN: “A valid travel document is required for travel to the United States.”

Still, Khatib is hopeful for a victory.

“If we win this award, it will show people across Syria that people around the world support them. It will give courage to every volunteer who wakes up every morning to run towards bombs.”

CNN had earlier caught up with Khatib:

How did you feel when you found out ‘The White Helmets’ was nominated for an Oscar?

I felt very happy, I’m very proud because it’s the first big film in the country that was made about the Syrian Civil Defense. It’s a big success for us because we (were able to) let a lot of people around the world know who the volunteers of the Syrian Civil Defense (the White Helmets) are.

It (has) allowed people to know that there are people and volunteers who are working and fighting for peace, not for the war – that there are people who are saving lives. It’s a big message and we need all the people around the world to know this – the Syria Civil Defense (is) working for peace. They only save lives.

Why did you join the Syrian Civil Defense?

Khatib joined the White Helmets at 17 because he wanted people to know what was happening in Syria.

I saw a lot of journalists in Syria in 2013, and I really liked them. So I took a camera and started volunteering for the White Helmets because I wanted the people around the world to know what the White Helmets are doing and what is happening in Syria.

After two weeks of working, there were bombings, and we responded to a rescue operation. We saved a child from under the rubble, and I recorded this moment. It got a lot of YouTube views, and I took the decision to continue my work.

It’s easy for anyone to kill someone, but it’s very hard and very difficult to save lives.

What was your first mission?

It was very, very hard for me. There was a big massacre and more than 100 people were killed. That was the worst day for me, because I saw the causalities and the bodies of the victims and when I came back to my home I also saw them in my dreams – I saw them when I was awake, and I saw them when I slept.

Video Ad Feedback

White Helmets: In Aleppo 'every day is worse'

02:12 - Source: CNN

How does your family feel about your job?

Director Orlando von Einsiedel recruited Khatib for the film.

At first I didn’t tell my parents that I was with the Syrian Defense Force, but after some time they found out. They asked me why I was going to the dangerous areas. (They said) “everyone usually leaves when there’s bombings, but you are going there – it’s crazy!” But I told them I had to do my best and film the people and show what was going on in our city.

I don’t tell them (about the) victims’ bodies and causalities; I only tell them about our successes – so now they support me to complete my work.

How can people around the world help Syrians?

In May 2015, 25 of Syria's bravest men made their way to a 10-day training camp in southern Turkey. Each of them has a unique story as to why he joined the Syrian Civil Defence. We asked each of the men what he did before the war, as well as their most memorable story of saving a life.

Ziad Shaheen, 33. Firefighter. "I saved a baby whose father was trying to reach him. He was killed by a crumbling wall. The baby was safe in bed."

Zuhair Armanazi, 39. Blacksmith. "A teacher and three students were thrown out of their classroom, when the regime dropped a bomb on their school. I found a boy, about 11 years old, buried to the chest with rubble. I dug him out and saved him."

Ibrahim Alzoughpi, 28. Barber. "It was a bombing near a bakery. We responded and saved a 17-year-old lady with a head injury. Unfortunately, two of her brothers died in the attack."

Ibrahim Alzoughpi, 25. Blacksmith. "A street area was attacked with six missiles. We rescued two brothers, from a room deep inside the house and off the street. Their parents and other two brothers died, because they were in a room closer to the street."

Ahmed Zaidu, 33. Sculptor. "We were helping to evacuate people from Idlib, and a barrel bomb was dropped. We were able to rescue an entire family, including a mother and two children. We were able to save them all."

Mohammad Altouma, 22. First-year university student, studying mechanical aviation engineering. "The town square in my village was bombed by the regime. It hit my uncle's house. I rescued my aunt, uncle and 5-year-old girl cousin, but her two brothers were killed."

Abdul Kader Suleyman, 32. Farmer. "A month ago in Darkoush, the regime aircraft hit with two thermobaric missiles. We were able to save a 7-month-old girl, but her mother and father died. We were able to place her with her uncle."

Ahmad Khaleel, 47. Former military. "I responded, along with my team, to a thermobaric missile and barrel bombs. Three two-story buildings next to each other were destroyed. 22 people were killed, but I am proud that we were able to pull 6 people out alive, especially the children."

Husam Mudiratee, 27. Policeman. "A two-story building collapsed. We found an 11-year-old boy crouched in the corner, safe. It was the first life I rescued and if I never save another life, that will be enough."

Ali Hubeter, 49. Farmer. "We found two kids in the rubble in Ainsheeb. The two-year-old lost his leg. We thought he wouldn't make it, but he is alive!"

Siraj Aldeen Hassoun, 25. Construction. "There was a bombing in Sarmin. The roof of the second floor of a two-story building collapsed. I shouted, 'Is anybody here?' I heard movement, and found a man in a safe space, thanks to two big rocks on either side of him."

Mahmoud Altaifour, 23. Business management student. "I rescued a man from under a roof alive. When we got there to rescue him, we didn't have the proper equipment and we had to wait before we were able to pull him out. I even rode in the ambulance with him to the because I wanted to make sure he got the best doctor, but he died at the hospital."

Mohammad Danawer, 24. Was in his third year studying math at university. "The regime bombed a refugee camp. We saved so many people, but I mostly remember an old lady, who had an injured leg. It bothered me, because you should be safe at a refugee camp."

Abdulrahman Humaidi, 20. Carpenter. "I was in a village near Salqeen. A missile hit the upper floor of a building and it collapsed. We pulled a 40-year-old man out and his family was thanking us and hugging and kissing, until they realized that his wife and two children died in the attack." Abdulrahman has 4 brothers, all of whom have also joined the White Helmets.

Mohammad Faisal Hammade, 41. Ministry of Agriculture. "They dropped a thermobaric bomb in the village of Sinkar. It hit a house and divided into two parts, one destroyed and one not. I can't describe the feeling that came over me when we found a mother and two children alive, especially since we had such a hard time getting to them."

Yamen Yoused, 27. Construction. "Two days before I came to this course, I rescued a 2-year-old baby. His dad told me where he was trapped and buried. We went and found him alive, but his 14-year-old sister had died."

Mohammad Ata Rashwani, 44. Hospital administration. "We were in a village called Kastim and rescued a man whose entire lower half was buried. A missile hit a car outside the shop he was in. We took him to the hospital and he lived." Mohammad joined the White Helmets five days after his son was killed working the very same job.

Bilal Salloum, 29. Syrian Secret Service. "My whole village used to leave during the day and only come home at night to sleep. There was this old married couple, whose home was hit with a barrel bomb. They both lived, we saved them, and took them to the hospital."

Mahmoud Staify, 20. Was about to start high school. "Idlib was being heavily bombed when it got out from under regime control. We arrived at the end of a tunnel that was so small you could only move the dust with your hands. We found a 60-year-old man alive in the basement, and spent 6 hours getting him out."

Isa Mohammad Jalloul, 25. Policeman and law student. "We responded to a bombing in a small village and ran to the basement. It was full of 15 women and children. 13 were dead, but we were able to save two, a man and a woman both in their twenties."

Abdulkareem Qaddour, 20. Was in high school. "A barrel bomb dropped near my best friend. He had shrapnel in his head, neck and chest. I took him by ambulance to the hospital, but he died on his way to the operating room."

Ahmad Rahhal, 27. Policeman. "First, two of our guys went in for the rescue and were 'double tapped.' We went in to rescue them and searched for other survivors. We found three young girls alive and well, plus an infant, who unfortunately died at the hospital." Ahmad received a round of applause from the rest of the White Helmets when he announced he is getting married next week when he returns to Syria.

Fadi Ibrahim, 36. Carpet factory employee. "In my village, a man was stuck under the rubble. Three hours later, we got him out. This is someone that I know, walk by on the street and could've been dead."

Hussain Alassi, 25. Was about to start college. "We rescued a family of three in the village of Mazra, a little 6-year-old girl, plus her father and mother. It was a huge building, and the whole second floor had collapsed on the first. We finally found them, cut a hole in the wall and took them to the hospital."

Meet the White Helmets

Prev Next

We want people to support the Syrian people by (creating) awareness with their government and to let them (use) their power to stop this war.

I wish this war would stop tomorrow.

We want to rebuild Syria, rebuild the stores, hospitals, the markets and the universities. We want to liberate Syria and let the refugees return to the country.

What do you hope to do in the future?

Khatib says he hopes he can continue his studies and pursue a career in journalism.

I hope to complete my education and study journalism because my education stopped because of this war, and there are a lot of Syrians like me. So one day I hope to finish my education and go to university in the US or the UK.

The above interview has been edited for brevity.