Syrians are beginning to uncover mass graves across the country, shedding light on the atrocities committed during Bashar al-Assad's brutal rule. Following Assad's ousting, many families are still searching for answers about their loved ones who disappeared after being detained by the regime's secret police.
A US-based anti-Assad advocacy group has revealed that hundreds of thousands of bodies, believed to be victims of torture by the Assad regime, could be buried in a mass grave east of Damascus. The alleged mass grave site in Qutayfah, marked by deep trenches, is suspected to have received truckloads of bodies on a regular basis from 2012 to 2018.
Recent reports have surfaced of more than 20 bodies found in a mass grave north of Izraa in Daraa governorate. Videos show individuals excavating bones and uncovering covered bodies, highlighting the grim reality of the situation.
According to the International Commission on Missing Persons, around 150,000 people in Syria are unaccounted for, many of whom were detained or kidnapped by the Assad regime. Testimonies from witnesses, including a man known as 'the Gravedigger,' have provided chilling details of the mass burial operations carried out by the regime.
The director of the advocacy group has identified at least eight mass grave sites in Syria and has called for international experts to assist in the exhumation and identification process. The United Nations has emphasized the importance of securing documentation related to detention sites and mass graves to aid families in their quest for justice and accountability.
Among those seeking closure is Hazem Dakel, whose family members were victims of the regime's brutality. Dakel's uncle and brother were arrested and detained, with one confirmed dead and the other believed to have died under torture in Saydnaya prison.
While there is a sense of relief over Assad's downfall, the pain and sorrow of families with missing loved ones persist. The need for truth, justice, and recognition for the victims remains paramount as Syrians strive to come to terms with the horrors of the past.
