The young Afghan, named Haidar, who slipped to the bottom of an earthen well in the village of Shokak, located in the province of Zabul, about 400 km southwest of the capital Kabul, announced the authorities. The accident is reminiscent of that in early February in Morocco of little Rayan, 5, who fell to the bottom of a dry well and was found dead after five days of relentless efforts by rescuers. “The rescue operation continued throughout the night,” said Zabiullah Jawhar, Zabul police spokesman, earlier on Friday.
JAVED TANVEER/AFP
25 meter hole
Haidar’s grandfather explained that he had fallen into the cave while trying to “help” the adults drill a new well. According to official sources, the child had slipped into this 25 m deep hole, before being pulled with the help of a rope to a depth of about ten meters, where he was stuck . Relief operations were overseen by Taliban government envoys, under the curious eyes of hundreds of local residents.