The number of bodies buried in mass graves in the southern province of Sweida on Wednesday has risen to at least 134, up from an initial count of only 80. There are speculation that there are more bodies that have not yet been buried, an informed source told Zaman al-Wasl.
According to the source, the bodies were transported in pickup trucks under the protection of members of the al-Hajri militia, accompanied by two vehicles carrying people wearing white clothes and thick masks. The burial took place in an unknown location, using a medium-sized bulldozer (a Trax) to dig three mass graves on separate hills.
A witness confirmed that the method of digging and burying closely resembled the mass graves previously established by the Assad regime in the Najha and al-Qatifah areas in the Qalamoun region, where deep trenches were dug and bodies were buried layer by layer.
The bodies included infants, children, women, young men, and the elderly, some of whom bore signs of burns or decapitation, without any evidence of physical injuries. Confirming the timing of this, whether before or after death. The source indicated that the bodies were stacked on top of each other without any classification or numbering, and in an inhumane manner.
The source emphasized that all the bodies were unidentified, and most of the victims belonged to Bedouin families or members of the Internal Security Forces. Photographing was strictly prohibited at gunpoint, and no neutral, medical, or human rights organization was allowed to attend the burial, or even to see the victims' identities.
The source wonders, "Why were the bodies not handed over to their families? And why were the victims treated with such secrecy and obfuscation?" This opens the door wide for an urgent investigation to uncover the circumstances of these mass graves and determine responsibilities.
Hussein al-Shishakli - Zaman al-Wasl
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