Rescue teams pull survivor from Afrin River, search for child continues

Emergency and rescue teams in rural Aleppo said early on Thursday they had rescued a man and recovered the body of another following a drowning incident in the Afrin River, as search efforts continue for a missing child.

Local sources said the Syria Civil Defence responded immediately after receiving the alert. One survivor was pulled from the water and given first aid at the scene, while the body of the second victim was retrieved and transferred to a nearby hospital to complete legal and medical procedures before being handed over to relatives.

Rescue teams are continuing an intensive search for a child believed to have been with the two men at the time of the incident. Crews are combing riverbanks and areas with strong currents and whirlpools despite difficult weather and field conditions, amid hopes the child may still be found alive.

Authorities said the situation has been complicated by a noticeable rise in water levels and powerful currents in the river, increasing the risks and challenges facing rescue operations.