ALBAWABA- At least 11 Syrians have drowned while attempting to cross the Al-Kabir River along the Syrian-Lebanese border, according to the Civil Defense director in Tal Kalakh, who told Al-Hadath that three others survived the incident.
Rescue operations are ongoing as search teams continue to look for additional missing persons.
Syrian Civil Defense teams, supported by units from the Syrian Army, rescued several people after they were swept away while trying to cross the river illegally near the villages of Al-Shabroniya and Al-Dabousiya, close to the city of Tel Kalakh in the Homs countryside, state news agency SANA reported. A Civil Defense team leader in Tal Kalakh said search efforts remain active amid difficult conditions.
Munir Al-Qudour, a Civil Defense official, told Al-Ikhbariya television that the victims were civilians attempting to move between Syrian and Lebanese territory using unsafe and unauthorized routes.
The Al-Kabir River, known in Syria as Nahr al-Kabir al-Janoubi and in Lebanon as Nahr al-Kebir, forms part of the northern border between the two countries, flowing from the Lebanon Mountains toward the Mediterranean Sea near Arida. The river is prone to seasonal flooding and pollution, making crossings particularly dangerous.
Since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, the area has witnessed a surge in irregular crossings. Thousands of Syrians have returned informally from Lebanon, while members of the Alawite minority fled into Lebanese territory in early 2025 amid sectarian violence.
