Operation Move Earth: Uncovering Assad's Secret Grave Relocation

A Reuters investigation has uncovered a secret two-year operation, 'Operation Move Earth,' by Assad's military to relocate bodies from a mass grave in Qutayfah to a hidden desert site in Dhumair. Witnesses describe a vast effort to cover up government crimes, with tens of thousands potentially buried.

The Assad regime's military conducted a covert operation, titled 'Operation Move Earth,' over two years to relocate thousands of bodies from a mass grave in Qutayfah to a remote desert location near Dhumair, as uncovered by a Reuters investigation.

The clandestine effort began in 2019 and continued through 2021, aiming to obscure evidence of the Assad government's crimes during the Syrian civil war. Witnesses recount the operation involving the creation of a second massive grave, with at least 34 trenches measuring 2 kilometers long.

Those directly involved in the transfer, including truckers and mechanics, described the stench of the process, and the danger of disobedience during the secretive operation. Thousands are believed buried, with human rights groups calling for organized excavation and DNA analysis to trace the missing.

(With inputs from agencies.)