NY's own Ray Kelly for FBI Director Read More on Page 18 May 19, 2017 | 23 Iyyar 5777
Vol. 14, Iss. 19
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World Shocked as Evidence Points to Syria’s Use of Crematorium to Dispose of Prisoners
The U.S. is accusing Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria of killing thousands of people from 2011 to 2015 and using a crematorium (pictured above) to dispose of their bodies. While Assad allies Russia and Iran may not have had anything to do with the crematorium, they are complicit in the brutal dictator's many other atrocities, according to the U.S.
By: Fern Sidman
T
he Trump administration on Monday revealed some shocking news concerning the Syrian government carrying out mass killings of thousands of prisoners and burning their bodies in a crematorium to conceal the grisly evidence. In efforts to provide formidable evidence pointing to Syrian culpability, the State Department released newly declassified photographs showing what it alleges is a building at a large military prison outside the capital Damascus that has been modified to support a crematorium where thousands of bodies have been burnt. Stuart Jones, acting Assistant Secre-
tary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, said US officials believe the crematorium could be used to dispose of bodies at a prison where they believe Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s Government authorized the mass hangings of thousands of inmates during Syria’s six-year-old civil war, according to report on the New Daily Australia web site. During the briefing, he showed aerial images of what he said was a crematorium. “We now believe that the Syrian regime has installed a crematorium in the Sednaya prison complex which could dispose of detainees’ remains with little evidence,” Mr Jones said. The revelations echoed a February
report by Amnesty International that said an average of 20 to 50 people were hanged each week at the Sednaya military prison, north of Damascus, the New Daily reported indicated.
“We now believe that the Syrian regime has installed a crematorium in the Sednaya prison complex which could dispose of detainees’ remains with little evidence,” Mr Jones said. Between 5,000 and 13,000 people were executed at Sednaya in the four years since a popular uprising
descended into war, it said. Syria has not responded to the latest allegations from the United States, but it has in the past strongly denied any abuse at the jail, saying that all executions followed “due process”. Mr. Jones also said he was not optimistic about a Russia-brokered deal to set up “de-escalation zones” inside Syria. The deal was reached with support from Iran and Turkey during ceasefire talks in the Kazakh capital of Astana earlier this month. Mr Jones attended the talks. “In light of the failures of the past ceasefire agreements, we have reason to be skeptical,” Mr Jones said. Mr Jones said Assad’s government had carried out air strikes, chemical at-
tacks, extrajudicial killings, starvation, and other measures to target civilians and its opponents. He criticized Russia and Iran for maintaining their support for Assad despite those tactics. “These atrocities have been carried out seemingly with the unconditional support from Russia and Iran,” Mr Jones said. “The Assad regime must stop all attacks on civilian and opposition forces. And Russia must bear responsibility to ensure regime compliance.” He did not say what measures the United States might take if Russia does not change its stance.
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