Families searched through the cells of Syria’s Sednaya prison on December 9, 2024, hoping to find their long-detained relatives after rebels opened its gates. However, the hope of finding missing loved ones began to fade as thousands of prisoners were released from president Bashar al-Assad’s detention system after his overthrow on December 8, 2024. Tearful reunions took place, but many families continued to search for their detained loved ones within the complex.
Despite rumors of more inmates still being held in unreachable underground cells, the search continued. The White Helmets, known for their rescue efforts in fallen buildings, were deployed to assist in finding the missing prisoners. However, by December 9, 2024, no additional prisoners had been found.
Outside the prison, Intsar al-Jaber waited anxiously for news about her imprisoned brother and cousin. She had not been allowed to see them since 2014, and the uncertainty of their fate weighed heavily on her.
As the search for missing prisoners continued, families like Ahmed Najjar’s were left with uncertainty and despair, unsure if they would ever find their detained loved ones in the sprawling prison complex.
A woman was told, “Don’t come,” but she refused to give up hope and continued waiting. Meanwhile, at a mosque near the prison, people were registering names and phone numbers in case their imprisoned loved ones were released. One woman claimed to have seen her son in a screenshot of released prisoners.
The situation in Syria took a dramatic turn as rebels entered Damascus, causing the Assad government to fall after 50 years of rule. President Bashar al-Assad reportedly fled the country. Reports of mass executions, torture, and the existence of a crematorium for hanged prisoners at Sednaya have been documented by rights groups.
Videos of emaciated prisoners in solitary confinement cells have surfaced, highlighting the gruesome conditions they endured. Despite the difficulty in verifying all reports, the mass release of prisoners is undeniable. Search efforts inside the prison revealed hidden passages, prompting bursts of gunfire from rebels to signal breakthroughs.
Relatives of the imprisoned anxiously searched for their loved ones, hoping for a reunion. The chaos of the situation made it challenging to distinguish between political prisoners and genuine criminals being set free. Outside the prison, a long queue of cars waited to enter, while others crossed barbed wire fences to join the search efforts.
One individual described Sednaya as “the human butcher’s shop,” emphasizing the need for accountability for the atrocities committed. The situation in Syria remains volatile and uncertain as the aftermath of the regime change unfolds.
