Following a systematic search of the notorious Sednaya prison complex north of Damascus, the White Helmets rescue organization said there are no remaining prisoners in the complex.
“The search did not uncover any unopened or hidden areas within the facility,” the Syrian civil defence organization said in a statement.
The group said it completed a systematic search of the vast complex, looking for secret cells, hidden basements, and checking courtyards and surrounding areas of the prison.
Five teams, including two K9 police dog units, were involved in the search of entrances, exits, ventilation shafts, sewage systems, water pipes, electrical wiring, and surveillance camera cables. Despite these extensive efforts, no hidden or sealed areas were identified.
“We share the profound disappointment of the families of the thousands who remain missing and whose fates remain unknown,” the White Helmets said in their statement.
Some 150,000 people in total were imprisoned in the facility, which is known among Syrians as the “slaughterhouse” due to the brutal actions of the guards and notorious torture methods, according to Raid Al Saleh, head of the White Helmets. The organization indicated that among those held at the prison were thousands of innocent civilians incarcerated by the former al-Assad regime.
Survivors and relatives had suspected that after al-Assad’s fall and the storming of the prison by opposition forces, some prisoners might still be trapped in locked cells and secret rooms. Many of these hopes have now been painfully crushed. (Agencies)
