New mass grave uncovered in Syrian capital

ISTANBUL

Syrian authorities on Wednesday uncovered a new mass grave containing human remains in the Syrian capital Damascus, believed to belong to victims of massacres committed by the former regime of Bashar al-Assad in the Tadamon neighborhood.

The Syrian television Alikhbaria reported that human remains were found in a mass grave near Daaboul Street in the Tadamon area of Damascus.

According to testimonies from local residents cited by the channel, the grave is part of a wider network of mass burial sites where victims of massacres carried out by forces loyal to the former regime were secretly buried in the neighborhood.

The broadcaster said Syrian Civil Defense teams are working to locate and identify the remains, while internal security forces have imposed a security cordon around the area to ensure public safety and facilitate forensic operations.

Since the fall of the Baathist regime in Syria, authorities have uncovered multiple mass graves during search and inspection operations across the country, shedding further light on the scale of violations and atrocities committed under the former regime.

The discoveries have renewed calls for accountability and documentation of crimes committed during years of conflict, as efforts continue to determine the fate of thousands of missing civilians.

Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia in December 2024, ending the Baath Party’s regime, which had been in power since 1963. A new transitional administration led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa was formed in January 2025.

Written by Tarek Chouiref