The Human Butcher's Shop: Hope and Despair at Sednaya Prison

After rebels opened the gates of Syria's Sednaya prison, families frantically searched for long-missing loved ones amidst rumors of underground cells. Thousands of prisoners were released after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, but countless families still search the labyrinth for relatives who may not have survived.

Families flocked to Syria's notorious Sednaya prison, scouring dark corridors for any sign of long-detained relatives after rebels opened its gates. The sudden release, following President Bashar al-Assad's overthrow, reunited some families with prisoners believed to be dead, while others remain missing in the labyrinthine complex.

Amid rumors of secret underground cells, rescue teams began searching with maps from defected Syrian army officers but found nothing tangible by Monday afternoon. Yet hope persists: sightings of released prisoners and encrypted messages fuel frantic searches as families hope to reunite with those taken years earlier.

Reports of torture and mass executions haunt the complex, where the U.S. identified a crematorium for prisoners in 2017. As families desperately seek their loved ones, activists call for accountability, describing Sednaya as 'the human butcher's shop.' Frustration grows over the difficulty of tracing released inmates alongside genuine criminals.

(With inputs from agencies.)