Syrian rebel forces have announced plans to shut down the infamous prisons operated under the regime of ousted President Bashar al-Assad and pursue individuals responsible for torture and killings within the detention facilities.
Rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, also declared the dissolution of the former regime’s security forces in a statement obtained by Reuters.
Following the Assad government’s collapse on Sunday, videos emerged showing thousands of detainees being freed from Saydnaya prison, described by rights groups as a “human slaughterhouse.”
According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, nearly 60,000 people were tortured and killed in prisons under Assad’s rule.
Jolani’s militant group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), spearheaded a swift offensive alongside other Syrian rebel factions, ending the Assad family’s 54-year reign.
Assad fled to Russia in the early hours of Sunday, where he and his family were granted asylum after rebels seized Damascus.
In a separate statement, Jolani emphasized that pardons for those involved in torture or killings of detainees would not be considered.
“We will pursue them in Syria, and we ask countries to hand over those who fled so we can achieve justice,” he said.
Since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad, Syrians have flocked to the regime’s notorious prisons in search of their missing loved ones. According to a 2022 report by the Turkey-based Association of Detainees and The Missing in Saydnaya Prison (ADMSP), Saydnaya became “effectively a death camp” after the civil war began in 2011.
Rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, announced plans to dissolve the Assad regime’s security forces. However, questions remain about how swiftly these forces might be reconstituted by rebel fighters, especially amid concerns over Israeli airstrikes targeting Syria’s military infrastructure.
In a statement obtained by Reuters, Jolani revealed that his group is working with international organizations to secure potential chemical weapons sites.
Responding to the Reuters report, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said the U.S. “welcomed” Jolani’s comments but emphasized that actions must follow words. “Our focus is ensuring these chemical weapons do not fall into the wrong hands,” Singh added.
This development comes as Israel continues to carry out extensive airstrikes across Syria, targeting military assets and facilities. Local media reports suggest one strike hit a research center suspected of being linked to chemical weapon production. Israel maintains that its actions aim to prevent weapons from falling “into the hands of extremists.”
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) defines chemical weapons as substances designed to cause death or harm through toxic properties, with their use prohibited under international humanitarian law.
Between 2013 and 2018, Human Rights Watch documented at least 85 chemical weapons attacks in Syria, attributing most to the Assad regime. While Assad’s government denied using such weapons, Syria signed the OPCW Chemical Weapons Convention in 2013, shortly after a chemical attack near Damascus killed over 1,400 people. However, experts believe Assad retained undeclared stockpiles.
Victims of chemical attacks have recently shared their experiences with the BBC, describing the devastating effects.
Meanwhile, European foreign ministers are convening in Berlin to discuss critical issues concerning Syria and Ukraine. A virtual meeting of G7 leaders is scheduled for the following day to address the latest developments in Syria, the White House confirmed.