An official document issued by the Syrian Army Command in 1982 revealed an order to carry out a mass execution by firing squad and hanging for 21military personnel and civilians held in Tadmur (Palmyra) prison, after they were convicted of "membership in the armed wing of the Muslim Brotherhood."
This military order, numbered 11 and dated January 19, 1982, from the Organization and Administration Division, was issued in implementation of a decision by the Field Court and approved by the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Armed Forces and Minister of Defense, Mustafa Tlass.
Details of those convicted:
The list of those convicted included the names of 21:
- Two military personnel: from the Defense Factories Establishment.
- 19 civilians: The document included a table listing the names of 19 civilians, some of whom were born in Aleppo, Hama, Harem, and Azaz.
The execution procedures documented in the order:
The order stipulated that the execution would take place on January 22, 1982, and would be carried out in strict secrecy:
- Time and Place: The sentence for military personnel would be carried out at 12 noon at the Palmyra firing range, while for civilians, it would be carried out at 5 a.m. in the Palmyra Military Prison courtyard.
- Supervision: Major General Tawfiq al-Khatib, Commander of the Central Region, was assigned to oversee the execution as chairman of the supervisory committee.
- Execution Ceremony: The sentence would be read aloud to the convicts before execution, with the exception of those brought to the execution square. Each convict would then be blindfolded and tied to a pole for the execution to begin.
- Execution Squad: A special squad of military police would be formed. The shooters would be armed with Russian rifles and loaded with real bullets, with one blank bullet allocated to one of the rifles to prevent the executioner from identifying himself as the real killer.
- The Salvation Bullet: The execution officer, armed with a pistol, was tasked with firing the "salvation bullet" at the convict after the other officers opened fire.
The bodies were never returned to their families and were buried in a secret location in the Palmyra desert.
Zaman Al Wasl
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