Türkiye to send rescue team to Syrian military prison PHOTO

The Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) will send a team to Syria to carry out a search operation at the Saydnaya Military Prison.

Preliminary information suggests that there may be people trapped inside the prison, Caliber.Az reports, citing Turkish media.

The rescuers are expected to arrive today, on December 16. The team consists of 80 people, and they will use the latest rescue equipment during the operation.

To recall, since the armed opposition took control of Damascus, thousands of prisoners have been released from various prisons across the country. Syrian rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, also known as Ahmed al-Sharaa, noted that many of those imprisoned were held without legal grounds and had been subjected to beatings and torture.

Saydnaya Military Prison is located 30km north of Damascus, Syria. The prison became notorious for the use of torture and excessive force following a riot by detainees in 2008. There are two buildings on the prison’s site, which between them could contain 10,000-20,000 prisoners.

Since the beginning of the crisis in Syria in 2011, the prison has become the final destination for both peaceful opponents of the authorities as well as military personnel suspected of opposing the regime.

By Khagan Isayev