Mass Grave Discovered in Eastern Deir ez-Zor

By Kamaran Aziz

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) — A mass grave has been uncovered at the Al-Ruwad housing project in eastern Deir ez-Zor, prompting Syrian authorities to launch an extensive investigation into what could be one of many burial sites linked to past mass executions.

According to the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the grave was discovered by the criminal security branch of Deir ez-Zor province in cooperation with other security bodies. The operation took place in an area that had been under the control of regime security points for 14 years, a region long associated with reports of human rights violations and enforced disappearances.

Following the discovery, Ghassan Said Ahmad, the governor of Deir ez-Zor, personally inspected the site and issued orders for a thorough inquiry. "We call on the internal security forces to conduct the necessary investigations and urge the health authorities to oversee the exhumation of the remains and work toward identifying the victims," Ahmad stated at the scene, according to SANA.

Civil defense teams were swiftly dispatched to the location after the initial report. SANA, citing a source within the civil defense, confirmed that excavation efforts had begun and that forensic teams were on site to manage the recovery of remains in accordance with legal and humanitarian protocols.

The civil defense source further indicated the potential presence of additional mass graves in the vicinity. The area’s historical role as a stronghold for former regime security forces has raised serious concerns about the scale of previously unreported killings. "Due to its proximity to former regime security points, it is likely that other graves and human remains are present in the same area," the source noted.

Local residents of Deir ez-Zor have long recounted instances of mass executions, especially during the height of the Syrian conflict. Many families continue to seek information about missing relatives believed to have been arrested or disappeared during the years of regime control. The Al-Ruwad housing project, once a residential complex, has now become the site of grim forensic investigation and potential historical reckoning.

Activists and human rights organizations have previously documented the existence of mass graves in Deir ez-Zor, pointing to patterns of extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detention, and the disappearance of civilians and opposition figures. Some reports estimate that at least ten mass grave sites could exist across the city and its outskirts.

The ongoing exhumation work, overseen by provincial health and security officials, is expected to take several weeks. Syrian authorities have not yet disclosed the estimated number of bodies contained in the newly uncovered grave, nor have they confirmed whether preliminary identification efforts have been successful.