Syrian rescue teams save boy trapped in narrow, 30-metre deep well

Syrian Civil Defence teams rescued a four-year-old boy on Wednesday after he fell into a narrow well near the city of Tabqa in northern Syria, following a tense operation that lasted more than six hours and drew widespread public attention across the country.

Abdul Razzaq Salloum Jbeir fell into an artesian well in the Al-Iskandariya area near central Tabqa, in Raqqa province, prompting an immediate response from Civil Defence teams affiliated with the Ministry of Emergencies and Disaster Management.

Rescuers faced significant challenges due to the depth and width of the well, which was estimated to be around 30 metres deep and just 35 centimetres in diameter, making access extremely difficult and requiring specialised equipment and carefully coordinated procedures to reach the child safely.

Teams worked against the clock to stabilise Abdul Razzaq and maintain contact with him throughout the operation.

Oxygen was pumped into the well to ensure he could breathe properly, and rescuers were able to communicate with him directly, receiving responses that indicated he was conscious and in a stable condition during the rescue effort.

Specialised rescue units from Aleppo and Idlib provinces were deployed to assist, bringing experience in handling complex incidents involving narrow wells and confined spaces.

While some teams focused on keeping the child supplied with oxygen and reassured, others carried out parallel lateral excavation work in order to reach him more safely.

After more than six hours of continuous work, rescuers succeeded in rescuing Abdul Razzaq from the well.

The operation was closely followed by Syrians on social media, with regular updates from the scene.

Tabqa, along with the rest of Raqqa province, was recently captured by the Syrian government from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).