Search continues in Halabja for girl missing in floods for fourth day

HALABJA, Iraq — Search operations entered their fourth day on Friday for an 11-year-old girl who went missing after being swept away by floodwaters at the Zalm recreational area in Halabja on June 9, 2026. The child, who had traveled to the area with her family from Kirkuk, disappeared after strong currents pulled her under, according to local authorities. Halabja Civil Defense teams, including a specialist diving unit, are working at the site with six rescue teams in total. Officials said the high water flow and strong currents at Zalm this year have complicated the search, with underwater cameras being used to scan caves and cavities where the child's body may have become trapped. Crews have been cutting and removing fallen trees from the stream bed to inspect potential locations one by one. Civil Defense said the nearby Ahmed Aavi recreational area has been closed to visitors as a precaution and will be reassessed based on weather conditions and water levels. No further details on the search were immediately available.