Syrian rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, has pledged to shut down the notorious prisons run by ousted President Bashar al-Assad, where tens of thousands were tortured or killed. Jolani, leader of the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), also vowed to dissolve the former regime’s security forces and pursue justice for victims of the Assad regime’s brutal practices.
Videos emerged showing thousands of prisoners being freed from Saydnaya prison, infamously called a “human slaughterhouse” by rights groups, following Assad’s downfall on Sunday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimates nearly 60,000 people died in Assad’s detention centers.
Assad, whose family ruled Syria for 54 years, fled to Russia with his family as rebel forces seized Damascus in a swift offensive. Jolani rejected the possibility of pardons for those involved in torture or killings, urging other nations to extradite escaped perpetrators to face justice in Syria.
Since Assad’s fall, Syrians have flocked to former regime prisons searching for missing loved ones. A 2022 report from the Association of Detainees and The Missing in Saydnaya Prison (ADMSP) described Saydnaya as a “death camp” during the civil war.
Jolani also announced efforts to secure Syria’s chemical weapon sites in collaboration with international organizations, amid concerns about the weapons falling into extremist hands. The U.S. welcomed Jolani’s statements but emphasized the need for concrete action.
Meanwhile, Israel has launched strikes on Syria, targeting suspected chemical weapon facilities and military assets to prevent their transfer to hostile groups.
European foreign ministers are set to discuss the evolving Syrian crisis in Berlin on Thursday, followed by a G7 leaders’ meeting on the issue. Syria’s future remains uncertain as the international community watches closely.
