Syria 'built crematorium to hide killings', says US
State Department claims President Bashar al-Assad is covering up thousands of atrocities at military prison

Syria has built a crematorium at a prison to dispose of the remains of murdered prisoners, the US State Department claimed yesterday.
Stuart Jones, acting assistant secretary for Near Eastern Affairs, showed journalists a series of aerial photographs he said indicted the presence of a crematorium at the Sednaya military prison on the outskirts of the capital Damascus, Reuters reports.
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.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
"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.
-
Disarming Hezbollah: Lebanon's risky mission
Talking Point Iran-backed militia has brought 'nothing but war, division and misery', but rooting them out for good is a daunting and dangerous task
-
Woof! Britain's love affair with dogs
The Explainer The UK's canine population is booming. What does that mean for man's best friend?
-
Crossword: August 31, 2025
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American cities
Under the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctions
The Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
Rubio says US brokered end to Syria conflict
Speed Read Syria's defense ministry was targeted in Israeli attacks on the capital
-
Iran still has enriched uranium, Israeli official says
Speed Read It remains unclear how long it would take Iran to rebuild its nuclear program following US and Israeli attacks
-
Syria's returning refugees
The Explainer Thousands of Syrian refugees are going back to their homeland but conditions there remain extremely challenging
-
IAEA: Iran could enrich uranium 'within months'
Speed Read The chief United Nations nuclear inspector, Rafael Grossi, says Iran could be enriching uranium again soon
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?
today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
Iran nukes program set back months, early intel suggests
Speed Read A Pentagon assessment says US bombing of Iranian nuclear sites only set the program back by months, not years. This contradicts President Donald Trump's claim.