Turkish rescuers conclude their investigation of Syria’s Saydnaya prison

On Tuesday, the commander of Turkish rescue workers announced that they have concluded their search for survivors in Syria’s notorious Saydnaya prison, as they were unable to locate any detainees in concealed cells.

The prison, located just north of Damascus, became a symbol of human rights violations during Bashar Assad’s presidency, which Islamist-led insurgents overthrew on December 8.

Memis, the director of Turkey’s AFAD disaster relief agency, asserted that the 120-member team carried out the search at the request of Syria’s new authorities.

Memis informed journalists at the location that the entire building was searched and analyzed with a scanner, but no living person was discovered.

The Islamist-led rebels released prisoners from the complex, which was the location of extrajudicial executions, torture, and forced disappearances, early last week.

However, the complex is believed to descend several levels underground, which has led to concerns that additional prisoners may be held in concealed chambers that have yet to be discovered.

Nevertheless, the Association of Detainees and Missing Persons of Saydnaya Prison (ADMSP) maintains that the allegations regarding concealed chambers are unfounded.

Syria’s White Helmets emergency workers conducted an exhaustive investigation of the prison complex; however, they concluded their operations on Tuesday, stating that they were unable to locate any additional captives.

Since 2011, when Syria’s civil conflict erupted, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has reported that over 100,000 individuals have perished in the country’s prisons and detention centers.