The White Helmets, a Syrian civil defence organisation, has announced that it is looking into claims from survivors of Saydnaya prison, infamous for its harsh conditions, regarding the existence of detainees held in concealed underground cells.
The group announced on X that it had dispatched five specialised emergency teams to the prison, supported by a guide knowledgeable about the facility’s layout.
Saydnaya stands out as one of the prisons that has been freed following the rebels’ takeover of the country.
In Damascus province, officials have announced that efforts to liberate prisoners are ongoing, with some inmates reportedly suffering severe distress due to inadequate ventilation.
The Damascus Countryside Governorate has issued a call on social media, urging former soldiers and prison workers from Bashar al-Assad’s regime to share the codes for electronic underground doors with rebel forces.
Officials report that they have faced challenges in accessing the facilities, which would allow for the release of over 100,000 detainees visible on CCTV monitors.
Footage has emerged online and been reported by various news organisations, including Al Jazeera, depicting what seems to be attempts to reach the lower sections of the prison.
A man is observed utilising a post to dismantle a lower wall, uncovering a shadowy area behind it.
Additional footage has captured the release of prisoners, notably a young child reunited with his mother. The Turkey-based Association of Detainees and The Missing in Sednaya Prison (ADMSP) has shared a video featuring the release of women, in which he is prominently displayed.
Reports indicate that Assad has been ousted from power. “Don’t be scared,” a voice on the video reassures the women, suggesting they are safe.
Footage authenticated by AFP captured the scene of Syrians hurrying to determine whether their loved ones were among those freed from Saydnaya, a facility notorious for the alleged torture and execution of thousands of opposition supporters under the Assad regime.
In a significant development, rebel forces have advanced throughout Syria, liberating prisoners from government detention facilities along their path.
Since the onset of the civil war in 2011, government forces have reportedly detained hundreds of thousands of individuals in camps, with human rights organisations alleging that instances of torture were prevalent.
On Saturday, the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) announced the release of over 3,500 detainees from Homs Military Prison following its takeover of the city.
Established in 2012, the organisation initially operated under the name al-Nusra Front. The group initially had connections to al-Qaeda but eventually cut those ties. Nevertheless, the United States, the United Kingdom, and several other nations still regard it as an affiliate of the jihadist organisation.
In 2016, the organisation adopted the name HTS and joined forces with other rebel factions. This group is the most prominent among several opposition factions engaged in the current offensive.
As rebels made their way into the capital early on Sunday, HTS declared the “end of the era of tyranny in the prison of Saydnaya,” a facility synonymous with the most egregious abuses of the Assad regime.
A 2022 report from ADMSP described Saydnaya as having “effectively become a death camp” following the onset of the civil war.
Estimates indicate that over 30,000 detainees faced execution or perished due to torture, inadequate medical care, or starvation from 2011 to 2018. According to reports from the limited number of released inmates, it is estimated that at least 500 additional detainees were executed during the period from 2018 to 2021.
In 2017, Amnesty International characterised Saydnaya as a “human abattoir,” citing a report that claimed the highest echelons of the Assad government-sanctioned executions.
The government during that period rejected Amnesty’s allegations, labelling them as “baseless” and “devoid of truth” while asserting that all executions in Syria adhered to due process.
Footage referenced by Reuters depicted rebels firing at the lock on the gate of Saydnaya prison, employing additional gunfire to breach closed doors that led to the cells. Men flooded the corridors.
Additional footage, reported by the Reuters news agency, allegedly captured on the streets of Damascus, depicts recently released prisoners fleeing down the street.
A passer-by is approached to provide details about the incident.
“We toppled the regime,” they declare, prompting an enthusiastic laugh from the former prisoner.
The network of prisons associated with the Assad regime stands as one of the most potent symbols of its repressive nature, casting a long and dark shadow over those who dared to express dissent.
In Saydnaya, thousands faced the grim realities of torture, sexual assault, and mass execution. A significant number of individuals did not return, leaving their families in a prolonged state of uncertainty regarding their fate, often for many years.
Omar al-Shogre, a survivor of the harrowing experience, recounted to the BBC on Sunday the trials he faced during his three-year imprisonment as a teenager.
“I understand the pain, the loneliness, and the hopelessness that you experience, as the world has allowed you to endure suffering without taking action,” he stated.
“My cousin, whom I cherished deeply, was compelled to inflict pain upon me while I was also coerced into causing him harm.” Failure to comply would result in both of our executions.
According to a Syrian human rights network, over 130,000 individuals have reportedly faced detention under these circumstances since 2011. The origins of these deliberately frightening institutions can be traced back much further in history.
The spectre of abduction to a Syrian dungeon loomed large in Lebanon during the prolonged period of Syrian dominance, instilling a deep-seated fear among the populace.
The pervasive animosity towards the Assad regime, encompassing both father and son, has roots in a systematic apparatus of torture, death, and humiliation. This extensive mechanism instilled fear in the populace, compelling them into submission.
In their rapid advance across Syria, which ultimately led to the ousting of President Assad, rebel factions strategically targeted central prisons in each city they seized, ensuring the release of thousands of detainees held within those facilities.
Seeing these individuals stepping into the light after years of darkness will be pivotal in the narrative of the Assad dynasty’s decline.