Remains of 15 Assad-era victims found in mass grave in Hama, Syria

The Public Prosecution Office in Hama Governorate announced Tuesday the discovery of a mass grave containing the remains of 15 people, including a woman and a child, believed to be victims of a 2013 massacre carried out by forces loyal to former president Bashar al-Assad.

According to a statement published by Syria’s state news agency SANA, the remains were found inside a well in the town of Ma'an, located northeast of Hama. Authorities believe the site is linked to one of several atrocities committed against civilians during the early years of the Syrian uprising.

Hama’s chief prosecutor, Ayman Al-Othman, said the discovery followed a report that prompted authorities, accompanied by teams from internal security, forensic medicine, and civil defense, to immediately inspect the site. The remains were recovered and transferred to the forensic medical center for identification and legal processing.

"Initial evidence and available indicators confirm that these remains belong to victims of a crime committed by the former regime, as part of widespread and grave violations against innocent civilians in 2013," Al-Othman stated.

He emphasized the prosecution’s commitment to pursuing those responsible and bringing them to justice, calling the massacre “one of the most horrific violations witnessed in the region.”

Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, mass graves and evidence of atrocities committed over 11 years of conflict have continued to surface across Syria. The uprising, which began in 2011, left hundreds of thousands dead and millions displaced.

On December 8, 2024, opposition factions took control of the capital Damascus, ending 61 years of Baath Party rule and more than five decades of the Assad family’s grip on power.