Justice Remains Elusive for Families of the Missing in Post-Assad Syria

Thu Oct 16 2025 11:45:26 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Ten months after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, families of the missing in Syria still grapple with grief and uncertainty as mass graves continue to surface, shedding light on a dark legacy and raising urgent calls for justice.

In the wake of Bashar al-Assad's ousting, families of the forcibly disappeared are seeking justice. Over 181,000 individuals remain unaccounted for, with recent discoveries of mass graves exacerbating the pain of their loved ones. As a fragile new political landscape emerges, relatives demand answers while grappling with their loss in community gatherings that serve as both memorial and advocacy spaces.

A burly bearded man in a blue tunic moved swiftly through grassy stubble on a windswept road in rural Damascus, collecting bones with his bare hands.

He added a jaw to the pile, before gently picking up a skull. Briefly, he kissed it - a moment of tenderness for one of the many victims of Bashar al-Assad. Ten months after Assad was ousted from power last December, in a lightning rebel advance, mass graves are still being uncovered.

The Syrian dictator's legacy is embedded in the soil here - skeletal remains where crops should be. There are now more than 60 grave sites and counting.

One of the latest came to light in al-Otaiba village, in the district of Eastern Ghouta, where a shepherd stumbled on clothing and human remains after straw was burnt off.

The authorities believe as many as 175 bodies were bulldozed into a mass grave in this former opposition stronghold. They are among the legions of the missing.

More than 181,000 people were forcibly disappeared or arbitrarily detained during the 14 years of Syria's civil war, according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights monitoring group. It says 90% were taken by the Assad regime.

Families of the missing are now demanding answers and justice. A people's assembly was recently chosen but remains unrepresentative as a third of the seats are still to be filled by appointees chosen by Syria's Interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.

As Syria faces forward, President Sharaa asserts that addressing the issue of the missing will remain a national priority.

Bereaved relatives like Kasim Hamami explore the mass graves, hoping to uncover the truth about loved ones taken by the regime's security forces. Hamami recounted how he unearthed a jumper belonging to his brother, Samer, who disappeared at the age of 21.

The brutal ambushes by Assad's forces still haunt survivors like Bilal, who witnessed the shocking executions during a failed escape. Bilal lost family members and now strives to speak for them.

Despite enforcing laws and a National Commission for Missing Persons to address the issue, many families remain sceptical, hoping for a more transparent and just evaluation of the past atrocities committed during the Assad regime. The sense of despair remains palpable as they continue to demand action whilst dealing with their grief.

Amid community gatherings dubbed Truth Tents, families share their heart-wrenching stories, united in their quest for acknowledgment and accountability. Voices call for justice, many directing their anger towards Assad, whom they blame entirely for the lost lives and countless grievances endured over years of conflict.