Syrian regime is burning bodies to hide war crimes, U.S. says
- 7 years ago
DAMASCUS, SYRIA — The United States on Monday said it has evidence the Syrian regime built a crematorium at a military prison to cover up evidence of mass killings of civilians.
Satellite photographs show the construction of a crematorium at the Sednaya military prison near Damascus, according to the U.S. State Department.
The State Department said the images show melted snow on top of an L-shaped building that it labeled a “probable crematorium,” the Washington Post reported.
Officials said a discharge stack, probable firewall and probable air intake on the roof of the building are suggestive of a place to burn bodies.
As many as 13,000 prisoners were hanged at Sednaya prison between 2011 and 2015, according to a recent Amnesty International report.
However, human rights groups said the evidence was inconclusive and some of the satellite images have been known about for years, the New York Times reported.
The U.S. accuses Russia and Iran of allowing Bashar al-Assad’s regime to commit atrocities in Syria with seemingly unconditional support.
Satellite photographs show the construction of a crematorium at the Sednaya military prison near Damascus, according to the U.S. State Department.
The State Department said the images show melted snow on top of an L-shaped building that it labeled a “probable crematorium,” the Washington Post reported.
Officials said a discharge stack, probable firewall and probable air intake on the roof of the building are suggestive of a place to burn bodies.
As many as 13,000 prisoners were hanged at Sednaya prison between 2011 and 2015, according to a recent Amnesty International report.
However, human rights groups said the evidence was inconclusive and some of the satellite images have been known about for years, the New York Times reported.
The U.S. accuses Russia and Iran of allowing Bashar al-Assad’s regime to commit atrocities in Syria with seemingly unconditional support.