Mass Grave of 100,000 Discovered in Syria’s Al-Qutayfah: Evidence Reveals Systematic Burials from 2012 to 2018

The Director of the Syrian Emergency Organisation, Moaz Mustafa, has revealed the discovery of a large mass grave in the Al-Qutayfah area, north of Damascus. He announced that work has begun to investigate the site, which is believed to hold the bodies of around 100,000 prisoners. These individuals reportedly died between 2012 and 2018 as a result of torture or harsh conditions in Syrian government prisons.

Speaking to Television Syria, Mustafa confirmed that his team has started collecting evidence from the site. The existence of this grave was first revealed in 2021 by a witness known as “The Gravedigger”. The organisation had helped the witness escape Syria and testify in various international courts. Access to the site during Bashar al-Assad’s regime was impossible, and collecting evidence from the graves was extremely difficult. However, with the establishment of a new administration, efforts to investigate the grave have now begun.

Mustafa explained that initial information about the grave came to light in 2021 when “The Gravedigger” disclosed that a mass burial site existed in Al-Qutayfah. Practical work to collect evidence began only recently after further testimonies were obtained from individuals who had worked on digging the grave and later fled Syria.

The mass grave consists of large trenches located in Al-Qutayfah, an area north of Damascus. The trenches are between 6 and 7 metres deep, 50 to 150 metres long, and 3 to 4 metres wide. Trucks carrying bodies would reportedly arrive at the site twice a week, with each vehicle transporting approximately 100 corpses. This process continued for six years. Mustafa estimates that between 2012 and 2018, when the Najha cemetery reached full capacity, the Syrian government buried around 800 bodies per week in this grave.

Testimonies of Workers

Labourers who participated in digging the trenches have played a key role in exposing the details of this crime. According to Mustafa, these workers were extracted from Syria years ago and gave testimonies about burial locations and the methods used by the Syrian government to transport and bury the bodies.

The workers confirmed that vehicles loaded with the bodies of prisoners arrived at the site regularly. The burials were conducted under strict secrecy and directly supervised by security and military personnel. Most of the corpses were wrapped in plastic bags, many showing clear signs of torture.

Process of Body Transfer

The Syrian Air Force Intelligence Directorate oversaw the transfer of bodies from military hospitals to the burial site. These bodies belonged to prisoners who were tortured to death in various intelligence facilities before being sent for burial. Damascus Municipality’s funeral office reportedly assisted in transporting the corpses using trucks and refrigerated trailers.

International Calls for Action

The Syrian Emergency Organisation has appealed to the international community to send independent investigative teams to the site. Moaz Mustafa expressed concern over the lack of measures to secure the graves, stressing the need to protect evidence for future investigations.

Human Rights Demands

Human rights activists have urged that this case be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC), as it constitutes a crime against humanity. They have also emphasised the importance of ensuring the protection and security of witnesses while providing them with legal support.

Renewed Pain for Families

The discovery of this mass grave has reopened the wounds of families who lost their loved ones under mysterious circumstances. Even after years have passed, many Syrian families are still searching for answers about the fate of their missing relatives.

A Testament to Tragedy

The revelation of the Al-Qutayfah mass grave is yet another testament to the immense tragedy endured by the Syrian people over the past decade. In the absence of international justice, these graves serve as harrowing evidence of the systematic oppression and suffering that prisoners have faced.