In the chaos and fog of a brutal war that has claimed an estimated 400,000 to 500,000 lives, a ragtag group of former bakers, tailors, salespeople, teachers, pharmacists, painters, carpenters, students and others has emerged as real-life heroes, providing a glimmer of hope in Syria's brutal five-year-old civil war. The Syria Civil Defense group consists of about 3,000 White Helmets who have helped save some 60,000 people, often working in perilous conditions amid intense conflict.

Members of the Syria Civil Defense White Helmets are seen helping a man in this undated file photo.
Syria Civil Defense