Syrian rescuers pursue search amid rumours of hidden prisoners in Sednaya
On the second day following the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, efforts continue to free what many believe to be the remaining prisoners from the notorious Sednaya prison.
The Syrian Civil Defence, also known as the White Helmets, are still digging and searching for ways to reach the prisoners in Sednaya’s underground sections, known as the red prison.
While the Association of Detainees and The Missing in Sednaya Prison said on X that there were no prisoners remaining in the facility, rescuers are still trying to reach lower, underground levels.
The prison, known as a “human slaughterhouse” for its highly documented human rights abuses, was found to be much more complex than previously expected.
In a statement shared online, the White Helmets offered a financial reward of $5,000 “for anyone who provides direct information leading to the identification of secret prisons in Syria where detainees are being held”, raising the amount from $3,000.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
“We extend a special invitation to former security officers and those working in the security branches to help in accessing these secret prisons, as we emphasise the importance and necessity of this contribution, and we guarantee to them that we will maintain the confidentiality of the sources,” the organisation said.
In the afternoon, the White Helmets said no evidence has yet been found of any prisoners remaining in the facility, though their search continues.
Crowds of people remain gathered around the prison, having flocked there hoping to find their disappeared loved ones, while Facebook groups are flooded with images of people’s missing relatives.
“I still have no information on my father, and the situation is devastating,” Wafa Moustafa, a Syrian activist whose father was taken by government forces and disappeared in 2013, said on Instagram.
“Like millions of Syrians with detained loved ones, I am torn between hope and fear – of finding answers or never knowing at all.”
Rebels and rescuers searching Sednaya prison’s facilities found cameras that allegedly showed inmates in their cells.
They also found an “iron execution press”, which was reportedly used by the Syrian government to crush inmates after their execution.
Nearby blood stained ropes were found.
Thousands of inmates have already been freed from government prisons across Syria, including Sednaya.
Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.
