A desperate Syrian rescue attempt

2012-12-09 68

Drama on a street in Syria.

Residents in what is purportedly the province of Idlib scramble to free a man trapped under this burning truck.

Clouds of smoke and towering flames - the result of what activists say was a government airstrike - make the going almost impossible.

A water truck is brought in to put out the fire.

But it becomes stuck in the rubble and suddenly... an explosion.

A driver desperately tries to move the water truck before it become engulfed in the flames.

But by the time it's moved, hopes of a rescue are seemingly dashed.

This video was posted to a social media website and could not be independently verified.

It was one of several over the weekend said to show the fallout of government air raids.

Since it errupted in March 2011, fighting in Syria has killed as estimated 40,000 people and shows little sign of slackening.