For years, Sednaya prison loomed over Syria as a grim symbol of repression, whispered about as the “human slaughterhouse.” Torture, death, and despair defined its walls, leaving countless families in anguish over loved ones who vanished within.
On December 7, the unimaginable happened—Syrian opposition fighters stormed the notorious prison in the mountains north of Damascus, liberating those who had survived its horrors. What followed was a flood of desperate Syrians, rushing to the prison in hopes of finding those they feared were lost forever.
Desperate Searches Amid Uncertainty
Standing at the gates of Sednaya, Jumaa Jubbu, a resident of Idlib, expressed bittersweet emotions: “The liberation [of Syria] is an indescribable joy. But the joy is incomplete because there are still [hundreds of thousands] of missing detainees, and we’ve heard no news of them.”
Sednaya, notorious for its secrecy, reportedly held as many as 20,000 prisoners. While many were freed in the initial days, chaos and uncertainty engulfed the search for others. Rumors swirled about underground chambers where thousands more might remain trapped. People used rudimentary tools, hoping to uncover hidden sections of the prison.
Former prisoners spoke of three underground floors, deep beneath the visible cells, holding untold numbers of detainees. But these desperate attempts often led to false hopes—shouts of discovery quickly died down as walls yielded no secret doors.
Jubbu, searching for 20 missing relatives from his village, said, “We only saw one floor. The rest is still hidden.”
“The Smells Are Indescribable”
As opposition forces advanced through Syria, liberating cities like Aleppo, Hama, and Homs, they flung open the gates of numerous prisons, freeing thousands. Yet for many families, the ordeal was far from over.
Mohammad al-Bakour, 32, traveled from Aleppo to Sednaya, searching for his brother Abdullah, who was arrested in 2012 for participating in peaceful protests. “His children don’t even remember him,” al-Bakour said. “The suffering inside this prison is unimaginable. Many inmates wished for death but couldn’t find it. Death became their only dream.”
Stories from former detainees revealed the depths of the cruelty within Sednaya. Torture and rape were routine. Corpses bearing marks of brutal treatment, such as activist Mazen al-Hamada’s, turned up in military hospital morgues. Survivors described beatings, starvation, and degradation.
A Life in Limbo
For families of the missing, life remains suspended between hope and despair. Without proof of life or death, the search is relentless.
Fifty-year-old Lamis Salama is one such mother. She traveled to Sednaya looking for her son, detained seven years ago, and her brother, who disappeared 12 years ago. “My feelings are fear and terror,” she said. “I just want to know if they’re alive or dead. If they’re dead, I can mourn. But if they’re alive, I’ll keep searching until my last breath.”
Despite the mass liberation, many Syrians remain trapped in the purgatory of not knowing. The scars of Sednaya extend beyond its surviving prisoners, embedding themselves in the hearts of those who continue to wait, search, and hope.
