Freedom's Dawn: The Liberation of Syrian Detainees

Bashar Barhoum, a Syrian writer, was freed from a Damascus prison by insurgents who overthrew the Assad regime. As political prisoners were liberated across the country, families searched for missing loved ones detained during Syria's brutal decade-long conflict marked by torture, executions, and fear under Assad's rule.

Bashar Barhoum awoke in a Damascus prison only to find it was his day of liberation, not execution, as expected. The writer, alongside countless others, was freed by insurgents who toppled the Assad regime after five decades of rule.

Insurgents made quick work of Assad's prison network, liberating political prisoners across key Syrian cities like Aleppo, Homs, and Damascus. Videos circulated online showing joyous detainees escaping their grim confinement.

Despite the pervasive relief, families gathered outside prisons and security centers, desperate for news about their long-missing loved ones. The chaotic liberation highlighted years of mistreatment and the Syrian government's systematic use of fear and torture.

(With inputs from agencies.)