The bodies of nine people have been found in a mass grave near the Al-Kamm Al-Sini prison in the town of Al-Shaddadi in northeastern Syria , which was captured last January by government fighters from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) .
Efforts are ongoing to identify the victims amid rising public anger, with demands for a transparent investigation into the circumstances of their deaths.
The Media Directorate of Al-Hasakah province said on Facebook on Saturday that the mass grave contained the bodies of individuals who had been detained at the prison before government forces took control of the area.
It added that the relevant authorities will work to identify the victims and provide clarification regarding the case. However, local sources told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the body of Syrian army officer Awad Al-Hussein Al-Khalif, known as “Abu Oday,” has been identified among the victims. According to the sources, Al-Khalif held the rank of First Lieutenant and was from the town of Al-Sour, north of Deir ez-Zor in eastern Syria. He defected from the forces of ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad in 2012 and joined the Syrian opposition.
The sources added that Al-Khalif was arrested by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in 2021 on charges of communicating with the Free Syrian Army. He then disappeared, until his body was identified in the newly discovered grave.
Earlier on Sunday, local sources reported that the bodies found in the mass grave are believed to belong to individuals who were detained by the SDF and were killed before government forces gained control of the area. Some victims have been identified, including individuals from the Al-Akidat and Al-Mahasneh tribes.
Al-Kamm Al-Sini prison, located in Al-Shaddadi in southern Al-Hasakah province, is considered one of the main detention centres previously run by the SDF, where thousands of detainees were held, including members of the Islamic State (IS) extremist group.
Areas in the Al-Hasakah countryside are witnessing growing tribal tensions after some families were able to identify the bodies of their relatives among the victims, increasing tensions in the region.
Tribal leaders described the incident as a “serious violation of human rights,” calling for an urgent and transparent investigation to uncover the circumstances of the crime, hold those responsible accountable, and ensure justice for the victims and their families.
These developments coincide with increasing calls for justice, amid fears of further escalation in a region that has experienced years of conflict and shifting control between different forces.