Syrians in Damascus are in a state of panic as they desperately try to rescue prisoners who appear to be trapped inside Sednaya Prison.
While many prisoners have already been freed, “thousands” more are still stuck in what are described as underground cells, it has been reported.
The prisoners are being freed after Syrian rebels forced President Bashad al-Assad to relinquish power and flee to Russia after 24 years in power.
The Syrian Civil Defence Group, also known as the White Helmets, say they are investigating the reports of people being trapped in the underground cells.
They added: “The teams consist of search and rescue units, wall-breaching specialists, iron door-opening crews, trained dog units, and medical responders.
“These teams are well trained and equipped to manage such complex operations.”
Those attempting to rescue the prisoners say the lack of ventilation in the underground cells could result in many choking to death if they stay in the prison for too long.
They add that there are “more than 100,000 detainees who can be seen on CCTV monitors.”
Footage shared on social media has shown men trying to help the prisoners escape by knocking holes into the walls that lead down to the cells.
Sednaya is one of Syria’s most notorious prisons. An organisation called Detainees and The Missing in Sednaya Prison (ADMSP) says it “effectively became a death camp” after the Syrian civil war.
Between 2011 and 2018, it has been estimated that more than 30,000 people have died there as a result of torture, lack of medical care, or starvation.
Amnesty International described the prison as a “human slaughterhouse.”
Syrians took to the streets in 2011 to call for democratic reforms in the country, but Assad used force to brutally oppress the protests.
This led to the Syrian civil war, which came to a halt in 2016 after Russia and Iran-backed Hezbollah helped Assad’s forces push back anti-government groups, including Islamist groups like ISIS.
Hundreds of thousands of people died during the conflict and 12 million Syrians remain displaced today.
