Syria has built a crematorium at a prison to dispose of the remains of murdered prisoners, the US State Department claimed yesterday.
US officials believe it has been used to dispose of the bodies of thousands of inmates.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A report from Amnesty International this year claimed up to 50 people were hanged at the prison each week and between 5,000 and 13,000 had been executed since the start of the civil war six years ago.
Jones added: "Credible sources have believed that many of the bodies have been disposed in mass graves."
Al-Jazeera reports the photos show snow melting on the roof of one building and not others, indicating a significant heat source.
Jones also called on the governments of Iran and Russia, both of whom support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, to use their influence to stop the alleged atrocities.
"We are appalled by the atrocities taking place in Syria [with the] seemingly unconditional support of Russia", he said, adding that Moscow had "aided or passively looked away" while the Syrian government acted.
"The regime must stop all attacks on civilian and opposition forces and Russia must bear responsibility to ensure regime compliance," he said.
The photos are understood to date back to 2015. It is not clear why the US State Department waited to reveal their findings.
Syria's civil war is now in its seventh year and has claimed around half a million lives and displaced many millions more.
-
How to financially prepare for divorceThe Explainer Facing ‘irreconcilable differences’ does not have to be financially devastating
-
Why it’s important to shop around for a mortgage and what to look forThe Explainer You can save big by comparing different mortgage offers
-
4 ways to save on rising health care costsThe Explainer Health care expenses are part of an overall increase in the cost of living for Americans
-
How Bulgaria’s government fell amid mass protestsThe Explainer The country’s prime minister resigned as part of the fallout
-
Femicide: Italy’s newest crimeThe Explainer Landmark law to criminalise murder of a woman as an ‘act of hatred’ or ‘subjugation’ but critics say Italy is still deeply patriarchal
-
Brazil’s Bolsonaro behind bars after appeals run outSpeed Read He will serve 27 years in prison
-
Americans traveling abroad face renewed criticism in the Trump eraThe Explainer Some of Trump’s behavior has Americans being questioned
-
Why these Iraqi elections are so importantThe Explainer The US and Israel are increasingly pressuring Baghdad to tackle Iran-backed militants, while weakened Iran sees Iraq as a vital remaining ally
-
Nigeria confused by Trump invasion threatSpeed Read Trump has claimed the country is persecuting Christians
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime ministerIn the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
