As Syrians celebrate across the country, waves of grief swept through families desperate to find relatives who disappeared during Bashar al-Assad’s rule. Crowds gathered in front of the notorious Saydnaya prison, a place notorious for its cruel brutality. As people search frantically for answers.
The Quest for Lost Loved Ones
Saidnaya, north of Damascus, has become a symbol of Assad’s brutal persecution. Where thousands of Syrians have been tortured, murdered, and disappeared, the prison’s dark reputation has endured for decades. But it was especially notorious from 2011 to 2015, during which time the prison saw 13,000 prisoners hanged, according to Amnesty. International has a picture of prisoners released from Zaidnaya after Assad’s departure from Damascus following the rebel attack.
This has led to posts on social media from families lacking information. The next day people flock to prisons. This has led to rumors that thousands of prisoners are still being held in secret facilities. Especially in the underground area called “Red Part.” A large crowd had gathered. People climbed up the hill to the prison amid long traffic jams. Some people got out of their cars to go to the last block. And cries of “Allahu Akbar” filled the air as the desperate search continued.
One of the detainees is Maysoon Labut, who moved from the southern city of Daraa. A key point in the early anti-government protests, Labut was looking for her three brothers and son-in-law. This was last seen in Saidnaya’s infamous “red block,” where it was rumored that Labut’s voice shook with emotion as she screamed for help due to poor conditions, such as a lack of ventilation.
Prisoners died there. Rumors about the “red department” fueled growing hysteria. Many fear that thousands of people are still being held in underground areas. Syria’s Civil Defense Forces, known as the ‘White Helmets,’ arrived with special teams to search for survivors. in hopes of revealing the confinement area Volunteers then began digging into the prison’s concrete walls.
White Helmets Dispel Myths
Rebel fighters working with volunteers called for silence so that the voices of the living prisoners inside the facility could be heard. Some knelt in prayer among the crowd. Meanwhile, sniffer dogs searched the field. However, later that day, the White Helmets reported that no hidden cells or undiscovered areas were found. They urged people to stop spreading unverified information. The Union of Detainees and Missing Persons at Saydnaya Prison also clarified that all prisoners had been released by Sunday, which dispelled rumors of trapped prisoners.
There is even evidence of hidden areas. But families still have to suffer. Some people search through piles of old records. Seizing photos of missing relatives Look for signs that a loved one is alive or dead. There was a picture of her brother, who had been missing for twelve years. “He’ll be 42 now. He has two daughters and a son he’s never met,” she said, her voice cracking. “We just want to know if he’s dead or alive. God knows.” For some, the joy of being reunited with loved ones was tempered by those years of grief. Suhail Hamawi, released after more than 30 years in a Syrian prison, has finally returned home. in the north of Lebanon. “It was a great feeling,” he said, but the reality of the lost year was overwhelming. “I discovered that love is still here. But I never realized how much time I wasted until my granddaughter called me ‘Grandpa.’ The chaotic scenes outside Zeidnaya not only revealed the lingering wounds of the regime’s brutality. But families suffer years of uncertainty and loss and deep emotional damage. Even if we meet again, But the pain of waiting for the latter continues for many.