Sednaya prison liberated! Witness the raw emotion as Syrian detainees are freed after years. Click to see the shocking footage.
Sednaya: Echoes from Syria’s Abyss
The name "Sednaya" once whispered in hushed tones, now rings out in a chorus of disbelief and long-awaited relief. For years, this military prison, just north of Damascus, was a black hole in Syria’s heart, a place where hope went to die. Bashar al-Assad’s regime used it to crush dissent, silence opposition, and break the spirits of anyone who dared dream of a different Syria. But the tide has turned. December 2024 marked a pivotal moment: the liberation of Sednaya. The videos emerging from the chaos and liberation efforts provide a raw, unfiltered glimpse into the depths of this nightmare and the sheer magnitude of what its liberation signifies. They capture the raw emotion of men, women, and children stepping out of darkness, some after years, into a world they barely recognize. What do these fractured moments tell us about the true toll of Assad’s brutality, the resilience of the human spirit, and the uncertain path ahead for a nation grappling with the scars of war? This page dives into a selection of YouTube videos documenting this event, attempting to piece together the story of Sednaya’s liberation, understand its significance, and glimpse what it might mean for the future of Syria.
Key Insights from the Liberation
The Fall of a Symbol: Multiple videos, including those from Al Jazeera English and Middle East Eye, confirm the liberation of Sednaya Prison by opposition forces in December 2024. This event marks the symbolic end of one of the Assad regime’s most brutal instruments of repression.
A "Human Slaughterhouse" No More: The Middle East Eye video details how Sednaya was notorious for its horrific conditions and systematic human rights abuses. Amnesty International’s 2017 report, highlighted in the video, condemned the atrocities committed within its walls as "crimes against humanity," including murder, torture, and enforced disappearance. The liberation signifies a potential end to this era of state-sponsored terror, at least in Sednaya.
Homs Liberation: The video from The Times and The Sunday Times broadens the scope, highlighting the simultaneous liberation of Homs, Syria’s third-largest city, and the release of over 3,500 prisoners from its central prison. This context emphasizes that Sednaya’s fall is not an isolated event but part of a larger shift in the power dynamics of the conflict.
Voices of the Freed: Al Jazeera’s "‘A number not a name’: In Syria, freed prisoners recall horrors of the past" provides a chilling yet crucial element: the firsthand accounts of former Sednaya detainees. These testimonies are essential to understanding the true scale of the suffering endured within those walls and will be instrumental in future efforts to seek justice and accountability.
Chaos and Uncertainty: The news.com.au video captures the immediate aftermath of the prison’s liberation, a scene of mixed emotions – joy, fear, confusion. It serves as a reminder that while the liberation is a victory, it also brings about new challenges, including the urgent need for humanitarian aid, the potential for reprisal attacks, and the complex task of rebuilding lives shattered by trauma.
The Dawn After Darkness
The liberation of Sednaya is not simply about the physical act of opening prison doors. It’s about the symbolic dismantling of a system built on fear and oppression. These videos, while offering only fragmented glimpses, reveal a complex situation and an uncertain future. While there is undeniable cause for celebration, the immense challenge of rebuilding and reconciliation lies ahead. The international community must stay focused on supporting the process and ensuring the victims receive justice and support.
Witness the Moment
Below, you’ll find a curated selection of YouTube videos capturing the liberation of Sednaya Prison and the broader context of the changing tide in Syria. Watch these firsthand accounts, hear the voices of the freed, and gain a deeper understanding of this pivotal moment in Syria’s history. The journey towards healing and justice is just beginning, and bearing witness is the first step.
Keep reading for the highlighted videos
Syrian rebels free prisoners from Assad’s notorious Red Prison underground cells in Sednaya PrisonMiddle East Eye149,268 views | 4,172 | December 8 2024 19:26:47 (887 comments)[ Read more … ]
Sednaya prison, Syria’s “human slaughterhouse” fell into the hands of the rebels on Saturday as Bashar al-Assad’s rule came to an end.
Fighters freed hundreds of inmates, including women and young children. However subterranean cells were harder to access and break open. Footage from the prison showed rebels breaking doors open and telling inmates they were free.
Thousands were seen leaving the prison, with people screaming in the streets. Many had been in the prison for several years.
Syria’s Sednaya prison was known as a “human slaughterhouse” by Syrians and human rights organisations.
In a 2017 report, Amnesty International concluded that “the Syrian authorities’ violations at Saydnaya amount to crimes against humanity”.
“Murder, torture, enforced disappearance and extermination carried out at Saydnaya since 2011 have been perpetrated as part of an attack against the civilian population that has been widespread, as well as systematic, and carried out in furtherance of state policy,” the human rights group said.
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Detainees released from notorious Syrian prisons | AJ #shortsAl Jazeera English145,688 views | 4,165 | December 8 2024 12:59:44 (539 comments)[ Read more … ]
Videos show the moments opposition fighters opened jail cells in notorious Syrian regime prisons to free detainees, including women and children. One man says he was scheduled to be executed today.
Syrian rebels free 3,500 prisoners in HomsThe Times and The Sunday Times141,297 views | 1,818 | December 8 2024 16:01:56 (611 comments)[ Read more … ]
Footage shows rebel forces free Homs Military Prison following the liberation of the city on Dec 7, 2024.
A leading commander of Syria’s Islamist-led rebel coalition said its forces had entered the country’s third city Homs and freed more than 3,500 prisoners from its central prison.
“Our forces… have succeeded in freeing more than 3,500 prisoners from the prison … in Homs,” Hassan Abdel Ghani said on Telegram, after declaring that “the process of advancing and combing the city’s neighbourhoods is currently under way”.
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‘A number not a name’: In Syria, freed prisoners recall horrors of the pastAl Jazeera English147,619 views | 2,563 | December 9 2024 04:30:05 (605 comments)[ Read more … ]
During Bashar al-Assad’s rule, tens of thousands of people who opposed the government were imprisoned and some forcibly disappeared.
At the notorious Sednaya prison in Damascus, many were taken to underground cells known as the Red Wing.
The Syrian opposition says its fighters have freed all the prisoners at the Sednaya Prison near Damascus, where rights groups say government forces have imposed horrific abuse on detainees.
Al Jazeera’s Aksel Zaimovic reports.
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Syria’s rebels enter horrific prison as Assad flees Damascusnews.com.au74,707 views | 1,196 | December 9 2024 04:53:34 (397 comments)[ Read more … ]
Syrian rebels have been filmed freeing detainees from the notorious Saydnaya prison near Damascus, as dictator Bashar al-Assad flees to Moscow with his family.
Videos of the rebels’ rescue show the mix of joy, fear, confusion and heartbreak as prisoners are liberated, but only some are reunited with their families.
Survivors of the Assad regime’s Saydnaya prison have described it as “hell on earth”, while human rights organisations have called for an immediate investigation.
As Syria prepares for its next chapter, here is a look at what happened inside the country’s worst prison.
#syrianrebels #syria #damascus
Syria: Prisoners freed from infamous Sednaya jail • FRANCE 24 EnglishFRANCE 24 English177 views | 8 | December 9 2024 13:41:55 (1 comments)[ Read more … ]
Syrian rebels, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, announced on Sunday, December 8, that they had taken control of Sednaya prison in Damascus and released all of the detainees. The detention center, infamous as a symbol of some of the worst abuses of the Bashar al-Assad regime, had been denounced by rights groups for the alleged inhumane treatment and torture inflicted on prisoners.
#Syria #Sednaya #prison
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Patryk Alexander is an associate copy editor at 4kVideoDrones.com, where he sharpens articles and helps keep the website's content clean and error-free. With a background in creative writing, Patryk brings a unique perspective to his editing that helps make 4kVideoDrones.com's content engaging and informative. When he's not editing or writing, Patryk enjoys spending time with his family and exploring the great outdoors.
