Wed Dec 25 17:45:41 UTC 2024: ## Possible Mass Grave Discovered Near Damascus: Thousands of War Victims Feared Buried
**Damascus, Syria – December 26, 2024** – A potential mass grave containing the remains of thousands of victims from Syria’s brutal civil war has been discovered near Damascus, according to a Syrian rescue group and an activist organization. Located near the Baghdad Bridge, approximately 35 kilometers from the capital, the site contains numerous graves, some already partially uncovered, revealing bags of bones and skulls marked with names and numbers.
The White Helmets rescue group, having visited the site earlier, reported finding an open grave with seven bags of human remains. They have secured the recovered bags for DNA testing. Abdel Rahman Mawas of the White Helmets cautioned the public to avoid the area, urging only relevant authorities to handle the site.
Diab Serriya of the Association of Detainees and Missing Persons of Sednaya Prison stated that the location was first identified in 2019 based on testimony from a defected intelligence officer and that satellite imagery indicates activity at the site dating back to 2014. He believes the grave likely holds both detainees from the notorious Saydnaya prison and fighters from both sides of the conflict. The Saydnaya prison is infamous for its human rights abuses, including extrajudicial executions, torture, and forced disappearances. Serriya also suggested that the bones may have been moved from other graves to this central location.
While a local council member denied prior resident knowledge of the site, citing its proximity to a military zone and restrictions on access, the discovery reignites concerns over the fate of tens of thousands of missing persons from the thirteen-year conflict which has claimed over 500,000 lives. The recent fall of the Assad regime has led to the opening of prisons, but the discovery of this potential mass grave highlights the enduring legacy of atrocities committed during the war. The investigation into the identity of the remains is expected to be a lengthy process.
First Piper 