Misbar’s Analysis
Saydnaya Prison, one of Syria's notorious detention centers, witnessed the deaths of thousands of people before all prisoners were freed by Syrian opposition rebels on December 8, 2024.
Saydnaya Prison, nicknamed the “human slaughterhouse,” is a military prison with a three-pronged shape that was operated by the Syrian government. Recently, Syrian opposition factions led by the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham group confirmed the release of all prisoners from Saydnaya Prison and other jails across Syria.
Saydnaya Prison’s Location and Establishment
Saydnaya Prison is located 30 kilometers (19 miles) north of the Syrian capital, Damascus, and was established in 1987.
Saydnaya Prison is divided into two parts: the first, known as the “Red Building,” houses political and civilian detainees, while the second, the “White Building,” is designated for military prisoners, Amnesty International reported.
Saydnaya Prison Divisions
As mentioned earlier, Saydnaya Prison is divided into two parts. In the “White Building,” the majority of detainees are officers and soldiers in the Syrian military who have been arrested since 2011.
Meanwhile, most detainees in the “Red Building” at Saydnaya Prison are civilians who have been arrested since the beginning of the Syrian revolution in 2011, Amnesty International added.
Each building at Saydnaya Prison consists of three floors, each with two wings. Each wing contains 20 cells, measuring 8 meters long and 6 meters wide, arranged in a single row. The two buildings can hold 10,000 to 20,000 prisoners at the same time.
All of Saydnaya Prison’s buildings are conjoined at a single point, the “Pistol Point,” which is the most fortified area of the prison, where the ground rooms and solitary confinement cells are located, Al Jazeera reported.
How Many Prisoners Were Killed Inside Saydnaya Prison?
Saydnaya Prison has been used to hold thousands of prisoners, including civilian detainees and anti-government individuals. There is no officially confirmed data on the number of prisoners killed at Saydnaya Prison. However, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) estimated that at least 30,000 people have died in Saydnaya Prison from torture, ill-treatment, or execution since the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011.
Amnesty International estimated in February 2017 that between 5,000 and 13,000 people in Saydnaya Prison were summarily executed between September 2011 and December 2015. The Amnesty report also discussed 35 methods of torture used in the country since the late 1980s, adding that their use has increased since 2011.
The Syrian government has rejected the report released by Amnesty International, which suggests that as many as 13,000 people have been killed in a prison near Damascus, accusing it of being part of a “systematic campaign of torture” and “extermination” supported by anti-regime factions, The Independent reported.
Prisoners Released From Saydnaya Prison
On December 8, the Syrian opposition announced the collapse of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime as rebels were seen entering the presidential palace in Damascus.
Syrian opposition rebels have opened all prisons across the country, including Saydnaya Prison, and released all detainees.
The rebels said: “We celebrate with the Syrian people the news of freeing our prisoners and releasing their chains, and announcing the end of the era of injustice in Saydnaya Prison,” Reuters reported.
Operation Deterrence of Aggression
Ahead of ousting the Assad regime on December 8, Syrian opposition rebels led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, commonly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, announced an operation called Deterrence of Aggression against the Syrian regime in a video statement on November 27, Reuters reported.
First, armed men began controlling several towns and cities in the surrounding areas of Aleppo. Then, they were seen entering Aleppo, with the latest reports showing they had taken control of the international airport and moved toward Hama and Homs until they completely controlled Damascus.
Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali, who will remain in power until the announcement of the transitional authority, called on all Syrians to preserve the state's public properties, saying they belong to all Syrians.
In a speech broadcast on social media, al-Jalali said: “Oh dear Syrians, of whom I am a part and you are a part, I am in my home and have not left it because of my affiliation and my lack of knowledge of any other country.”
In contrast, Ahmed al-Sharaa posted on Telegram: “To all military forces in the city of Damascus, it is strictly forbidden to approach public institutions, which will remain under the supervision of the former prime minister until they are officially handed over, and it is also forbidden to fire bullets into the air.”
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