Türkiye deploys 120-strong team to assist Sednaya prison rescue effort in Damascus

Türkiye's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) is pressing ahead with its search and rescue efforts at the Sednaya prison in Syria's Damascus, following a request from local authorities.

A 120-strong team, backed by 43 vehicles and four search dogs, is leading the operation, coordinated through the Turkish Embassy in Damascus, Caliber.Az reports referring to statement by AFAD on X.

📍 Suriye • Şam#AFAD Başkanımız Vali Sn.Okay Memiş başkanlığında Hatay’dan hareket eden ekiplerimiz Şam’da bulunan Sednaya hapishanesine ulaştı.

Şam Büyükelçiliğimizin koordinasyonunda, yerel otoritelerin talebi üzerine başlayan çalışmalarda;

👥 1️⃣2️⃣0️⃣ personel
🦮 4️⃣ arama… pic.twitter.com/4ravaqSRC9

— AFAD (@AFADBaskanlik) December 17, 2024

The rescue team, led by AFAD Director Okay Memiş, travelled from Hatay province in southern Türkiye to Damascus to assist with the operations.

AFAD is employing advanced technology, including wall imaging devices, ground radar, and seismo-acoustic tools, to aid in locating survivors. The rescue operation is being carried out with meticulous care and attention, reflecting the ongoing commitment of Türkiye to support Syria during this challenging time.

In a statement, AFAD reaffirmed its dedication to helping Syria in both humanitarian and operational capacities, saying: "We continue to support our Syrian brothers in all their needs — from providing humanitarian aid to conducting search and rescue operations. In the name of the people of our country, and in the name of humanity beyond our borders."

Note that, for decades, Sednaya prison in Syria was shrouded in secrecy, with its name whispered in hushed tones. It was infamous for the routine torture and death that took place within its walls, earning it the grim nickname “the human slaughterhouse.”

However, on the evening of December 7, the long-standing silence surrounding the prison was shattered when Syrian opposition fighters stormed its gates and freed the prisoners.

In the wake of the liberation, thousands of Syrians gathered at the prison, located in the mountains north of Damascus, desperate for news of loved ones they feared had vanished behind the prison's high walls.

According to Amnesty International, the two main buildings of Sednaya may have held as many as 20,000 prisoners. Many were released over the weekend, with the majority freed on December 7 night and December 8 morning. By December 8, however, thousands of people were still anxiously waiting for updates.

Inside the prison, chaos reigned. Reports suggested that there were underground sections of the facility that had not yet been accessed, fuelling speculation and concern among the waiting families.

By Aghakazim Guliyev