“Every Home Has Three or Four Missing” – The Heartbreaking Search for Loved Ones in Syria
In Syria, families are desperately searching for missing loved ones, with estimates suggesting over 150,000 people remain unaccounted for amid the ongoing conflict.
Syria, Damascus, Missing Persons, Bashar al-Assad, Human Rights, Civil War
Damascus: It’s been a decade since Morhaf Safi left home to buy a suit for his wedding and never returned. His family hasn’t heard from him since. His brother, Abdulsafer, last saw him ten years ago. Then, just days after the regime’s fall, Abdulsafer received a shocking photo of a mutilated body. It was taken in a military hospital, and he fears it might be Morhaf.
Abdulsafer learned that at least 35 tortured bodies were found in a refrigerated room at the hospital. Rebels had tipped off families about the corpses, leading them to central Damascus for identification. Outside the morgue, families searched through photos of disfigured bodies, hoping to find their loved ones.
Among the missing is Mazen al-Hamada, a well-known activist who bravely spoke out against the regime’s torture. After enduring a year of horrific abuse, he sought refuge in the Netherlands but returned to Syria in 2020 and hasn’t been seen since.
Inside the morgue, people examined the remains scattered on the floor, looking for any sign of their missing relatives. Abdulsafer still doesn’t know why his brother was imprisoned. He knew he was held in a political security branch but lost contact when he was moved.
Another woman, Om Hamza, searching for her brother and two sons-in-law, echoed the despair felt by many. “Every household in Syria has three or four missing people,” she said. “It is our nightmare.”
Families have been relentless, camping outside notorious prisons and scouring hospitals and morgues for any news. The Assad regime’s brutal rule has led to mass arrests and enforced disappearances, with the International Commission on Missing Persons estimating at least 150,000 people are unaccounted for.
Among them are over 3,500 children and more than 8,500 women. The head of a rights group broke down on TV, fearing most of the missing are likely dead. While some families have reunited, many are still searching, and the ICMP is urging the international community to help find the rest.
They’ve gathered data from over 76,200 relatives reporting nearly 30,000 missing persons. The group emphasizes the need for coordinated efforts to protect evidence and bring justice to those responsible for the atrocities.
At Saydnaya prison, families faced destroyed surveillance equipment, likely sabotaged by fleeing guards. This prison, known as a “slaughterhouse,” has been a final destination for many peaceful protesters. After rebels stormed the prison, families rushed to search for their loved ones, camping outside in desperate hope.
Many are digging through the ground, searching for rumors of hidden cells. “The guards took everything to cover up for Assad,” one man cried. Outside, families pleaded for any information about their missing relatives, sharing their heart-wrenching stories.
In hospitals, families raced from ward to ward, hoping for news of those released from prison. They encountered survivors who had been tortured and were barely recognizable. One woman, Alaa, finally learned her husband was released after two years of torture, and she couldn’t contain her tears of joy.
Back at the morgue, Abdulsafer found a body he believes might be his brother’s. But with the face so disfigured, he needs a DNA test to confirm. For now, he clings to a sliver of hope that his brother might still be alive.