Afrin ( / ALA-LC: ʿAfrīn or ʿIfrīn; ) is a district as well as a town in northern Syria. As a district (mantiqah) of the Syrian Arab Republic, it is part of the Aleppo Governorate. However, since 2012, the Syrian government has lost control of the district, and as the capital of Afrin Canton  it is now part of the de facto autonomous region of Rojava. The total population of the district as of 2004 was recorded at 172,095 people, of whom 36,562 lived in the town of Afrin itself. The town and district are named for the   Afrin River. The town of Afrin is located next to a bridge of the Aleppo road.