Fresh mass graves unearthed in Damascus following collapse of President Assad regime
Human remains are discovered at a mass grave in the Baghdad Bridge area of Damascus on Tuesday.Ugur Yildirim / DIA via Getty Images
Syrian civil defense workers have uncovered the charred remains of at least 26 victims in two separate basements in rural Damascus, adding to the growing number of mass graves found since the fall of the Assad government in December.
The victims, including men, women, and children, bore signs of gunshot wounds and burning.
Members of Syria’s White Helmets, a volunteer civil defense group, exhumed the remains from properties in Sbeneh, southwest of the capital.
Wearing hazmat suits, they carefully logged and coded the skeletal remains before transferring them for forensic examination.
Since November 28, the White Helmets have uncovered “more than 780 bodies, most of unknown identity,” according to Abed Al-Rahman Mawwas, a member of the rescue service.
Residents returning after years of conflict reported the discovery of bodies trapped in basements but refrained from reporting it due to fear of government reprisals. Mohammad Al-Herafe recalled the overwhelming stench of decomposition when his family returned to Sbeneh in 2016, while Mohammad Shebat stated that victims were likely civilians who fled during a 2013 siege.
A UN report, based on 14 years of investigations and over 2,000 testimonies, detailed atrocities committed by the Assad government, including torture, executions, and mass imprisonment.
The UN emphasizes that forensic exhumations could help uncover the fates of thousands of missing detainees, providing families with long-awaited answers.
