Syria Confronts Legacy of Assad's Brutality Following Regime's Collapse
As Syrians embrace newfound freedom, they uncover mass graves, chemical attack sites, and evidence of decades of repression under Bashar al-Assad's rule.
- The Assad regime fell on December 8, 2024, after rebels swiftly advanced across Syria, forcing Bashar al-Assad to flee to Moscow under Vladimir Putin's protection.
- Mass graves, including those near infamous prisons, are being uncovered nationwide, with evidence pointing to torture, executions, and systematic repression of civilians.
- The 2013 chemical attack in Eastern Ghouta, which killed up to 2,000 people, remains a haunting symbol of the regime's brutality, as survivors continue to suffer long-term effects of sarin exposure.
- Families of the disappeared are desperately searching for answers, combing through documents and prison sites like Sednaya, where thousands were reportedly tortured or executed.
- With Assad gone, Syrians face the dual challenge of seeking justice for past atrocities and rebuilding a nation devastated by decades of war and repression.