Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his backers, including Russia, have dismissed them as Western-sponsored propaganda tools and proxies of insurgents, even claiming they have staged rescue operations.
Those allegations - which the group says are part of a disinformation campaign aimed at discrediting them - have led the White Helmets to set up a polished media operation drawing attention to the plight of those living in the region.
"All of this made us put more effort into monitoring and following up and publishing (content)," Abdallah said at the Sarmada media center as a dozen people worked to download and publish images brought in from the field.
Volunteers sifting through rubble in their brick-yellow vests and trademark white helmets are almost always accompanied by other members with cameras, he said.
As rescue operations wind down, the group's work is shifting to the grim, demoralizing task of recovering the dead and clearing rubble.
Abdelrahman, the White Helmet medic, said: "We will keep working until we remove the last person from under the rubble."
