Back to Story
A rope lies on the floor in the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

A rope lies on the floor in the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Two insurgent fighters inspect the cells of the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," some hoping to find relatives who were held there, after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Two insurgent fighters inspect the cells of the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," some hoping to find relatives who were held there, after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

A man shows two ropes tied in the shape of nooses, found in the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," some hoping to find relatives who were held there, after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

A man shows two ropes tied in the shape of nooses, found in the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," some hoping to find relatives who were held there, after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

A line of people heads toward the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

A line of people heads toward the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

People stand outside the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

People stand outside the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

A man inspects a cell in the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

A man inspects a cell in the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

People with relatives who were imprisoned wait outside the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," some hoping to find relatives who were held there, after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

People with relatives who were imprisoned wait outside the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," some hoping to find relatives who were held there, after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

A man breaks the lock of a cell in the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

A man breaks the lock of a cell in the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Two insurgent fighters examine documents scattered on the floor, searching for the names of government officers at the infamous Saydnaya military prison, located just north of Damascus, Syria, on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering outside the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Two insurgent fighters examine documents scattered on the floor, searching for the names of government officers at the infamous Saydnaya military prison, located just north of Damascus, Syria, on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering outside the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

People walks into the basement of the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," some hoping to find relatives who were held there, after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

People walks into the basement of the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," some hoping to find relatives who were held there, after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Two men use their flashlights to inspect a corridor of the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," some hoping to find relatives who were held there, after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Two men use their flashlights to inspect a corridor of the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," some hoping to find relatives who were held there, after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

People inspect documents they found in the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

People inspect documents they found in the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

A woman looks through a list of names in a document found on the floor at the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," some hoping to find relatives who were held there, after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

A woman looks through a list of names in a document found on the floor at the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," some hoping to find relatives who were held there, after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

A woman looks at blankets and other clothes lying on the floor in a room of the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

A woman looks at blankets and other clothes lying on the floor in a room of the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

A man looks at a room of the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. .(AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

A man looks at a room of the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. .(AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Two women, whose relatives were imprisoned, react outside the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," some hoping to find relatives who were held there, after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Two women, whose relatives were imprisoned, react outside the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," some hoping to find relatives who were held there, after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

People stand outside the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," some hoping to find relatives who were held there, after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

People stand outside the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," some hoping to find relatives who were held there, after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

A prosthetic leg and a stretcher lie on the floor in the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

A prosthetic leg and a stretcher lie on the floor in the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

A woman examines the cells at the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

A woman examines the cells at the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Two men use their flashlights to inspect a corridor of the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," some hoping to find relatives who were held there, after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Two men use their flashlights to inspect a corridor of the infamous Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, Syria, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Crowds are gathering to enter the prison, known as the "human slaughterhouse," some hoping to find relatives who were held there, after thousands of inmates were released following the rebels' overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)