‘We won’t stop until we find them all’: joy gives way to grief as Syria buries its dead | Syria
Syria Grapples with Ghosts of the Past as Celebrations Turn to Mourning
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Damascus, Syria – the streets of Damascus erupted in jubilation last week as news spread of bashar al-Assad’s flight to Russia, ending his family’s five-decade grip on power. But amidst the euphoria, a somber reality is settling in: the fate of tens of thousands of missing Syrians remains shrouded in uncertainty.
Thousands gathered Thursday to mourn Mazen al-Hamadah, a prominent survivor of the Assad regime’s brutal prisons who disappeared in 2020. His body, wrapped in a white shroud, was carried through the streets to the Abdulrahman Abu al Ouf mosque, followed by a sea of mourners.
The initial wave of hope, sparked by the revelation of some missing individuals in the wake of the rebel advance, is fading. Families have scoured prisons, morgues, and ransacked regime documents, often finding no trace of their loved ones.
“He was picked up because he was trying to help people in our neighbourhood; he was found smuggling medicine,” sobbed Shahed Baraki, 18, clutching a photo of her father, Osama, a pediatrician who vanished in 2012.”They told us he had died, years later, but we did not get back his body.We still don’t know what happened. He had kidney disease … we think they let him die slowly of that.”
Hamadah,who bravely testified about his torture and detention during the 2011 uprising,had become a symbol of the regime’s atrocities. His return to Syria in 2020 shocked many, but his disappearance served as a stark reminder of the regime’s enduring capacity for violence.
While the streets of Damascus are alive with newfound hope, the shadow of the past looms large. The search for answers, for closure, for the missing, has only just begun.
Syrian Activist’s Body Found in Notorious Prison After Years of Silence
damascus, Syria – the body of Syrian activist Mazen al-Hamadah, missing for years, has been discovered in a Damascus morgue, bearing signs of torture. His family believes he was killed by the Assad regime after being forcibly returned to Syria from the Netherlands.
Hamadah,a vocal critic of the Syrian government,fled to the Netherlands in 2015 after exposing the regime’s brutality. His brother, Amer al-Obaid, 66, believes Hamadah was coerced into returning to Syria, fearing for the safety of his loved ones.
“They told him they would kill us if he didn’t stop speaking out and come back,” Obaid said. “He was detained the moment he arrived at damascus airport.”
Hamadah’s fate remained a mystery until Monday, when his body was found in the Sednaya prison morgue. Sednaya is infamous for its brutal conditions and is part of Assad’s vast network of detention centers. Doctors who examined Hamadah’s remains confirmed he had been killed recently, likely before his captors fled the facility.
“They knew Mazen would expose them again, so they killed him,” Obaid said, his voice heavy with grief.
Despite the pain, Obaid found solace in the knowlege that his brother’s sacrifice contributed to the fight for freedom in Syria.
“In some ways,I am happy. Mazen went through the cruellest torture imaginable and he died for us,” he said. “Without him, we would not be breathing fresh air and freedom now.”
Hamadah’s funeral, held at the Najha cemetery on the outskirts of Damascus, was a somber affair. A few dozen mourners gathered to pay their respects, the mournful chants punctuated by the distant rumble of explosions and the roar of Israeli jets overhead.
For many families with missing loved ones, Hamadah’s story offers a glimmer of closure, albeit a painful one. However, for countless others, the search for answers and justice continues, their loved ones lost in the labyrinthine system of Syrian detention.
Families Dig for Answers in Syrian Military Cemetery Mass Grave
Raqqa, Syria – Mahmoud Dahlil, 64, stood at the edge of a sprawling military cemetery, a shovel clutched tightly in his hand. The Brutalist-style site, marred by broken gates, held a grim secret: a mass grave containing thousands of bodies, victims of Syria’s brutal civil war.
Dahlil wasn’t alone. Driven by grief and a desperate hope for closure,families of the disappeared have descended upon the cemetery,determined to unearth the truth about their loved ones.
Dahlil’s search was deeply personal. Four of his cousins vanished in 2012 and 2013, swallowed by the chaos of the conflict. He had scoured the city for any trace of them, but his search had led him here, to this desolate expanse of earth.
“There are probably graves like this all over the country,” Dahlil said, his voice heavy with sorrow. “We won’t stop until we find them all.”
The discovery of the mass grave in 2022 sent shockwaves through Syria. Accounts from former workers at the cemetery revealed the horrifying scale of the atrocity, painting a chilling picture of systematic killings and clandestine burials.
For families like Dahlil’s, the revelation offered a glimmer of hope, a chance to finally lay their loved ones to rest and confront the painful truth of their fate. But it also opened a Pandora’s box of grief and anger, forcing them to confront the brutal reality of the war’s devastating toll.
As Dahlil began to dig, his shovel striking the dry earth, he knew the task ahead would be arduous and emotionally draining. But he was driven by an unwavering determination to find his cousins, to give them the dignity of a proper burial, and to ensure their memory would never be forgotten.
Ghosts of Syria’s Past Haunt Celebrations as Missing Persons Search Intensifies
Damascus, Syria - While the streets of Damascus buzz with newfound energy following Bashar al-Assad’s departure, a wave of grief underlines the celebrations. The fate of tens of thousands of missing Syrians remains shrouded in mystery, casting a long shadow over the country’s future.
Today, we speak with Dr. Leila Zidane, a human rights activist and researcher specializing in the Syrian conflict. Dr. zidane, thank you for joining us.
Dr. Zidane: It is my pleasure to be here.
NewsDirectory3: The initial optimism surrounding Assad’s departure has been tempered by the painful reality of the missing.Can you shed light on the scale of this crisis and the challenges faced by families?
Dr. zidane: the number of missing Syrians is staggering. We are talking tens of thousands, possibly even more, who vanished during the conflict. These disappearances span the spectrum of society, from activists and journalists to ordinary citizens caught in the crossfire. Families are desperate for answers. Their pain is unimaginable, fueled by uncertainty and the lack of any concrete information about their loved ones.
NewsDirectory3: We witnessed the poignant funeral of Mazen al-Hamadah, a prominent activist who bravely spoke out against the regime. His disappearance and subsequent finding in a morgue bearing signs of torture highlight the regime’s enduring brutality. What does this case signify for the wider search for missing persons?
Dr. Zidane: Mazen’s case is unfortunately not unique. It serves as a grim testament to the Assad regime’s systematic use of torture and enforced disappearance as tools of repression. It underlines the urgent need for an independent investigation into these crimes and the accountability of those responsible.
NewsDirectory3: What steps are being taken to locate the missing and bring closure to their families?
Dr. Zidane: While ther have been small glimmers of hope,with some families managing to locate their missing loved ones in the wake of the rebel advance,the path forward is riddled with challenges. Access to detention facilities and records remains restricted, and there is a lack of transparency from both the regime and opposition factions.
NewsDirectory3: What needs to happen to ensure accountability and justice for the missing Syrians, regardless of the political climate?
dr. Zidane:
The international community must prioritize the issue of the missing. This requires sustained pressure on all sides to cooperate with independent investigations and facilitate access to information. It is crucial to establish a thorough database of missing persons and create mechanisms for truth-telling and reconciliation. Without addressing this issue head-on, Syria’s journey towards healing and rebuilding will be incomplete.
NewsDirectory3: Dr. Zidane,thank you for your insightful perspective. This is a complex issue with profound consequences for Syria’s future. Continued attention and action are crucial to ensure that the voices of the missing are heard and that justice prevails.
Dr. Zidane: Thank you for having me.