Syrian rebels torch Assad tomb as regime crumbles
Syrian rebels have set fire to the tomb of Hafez al-Assad, the founder of the Syrian dynasty and father of Bashar al-Assad. The burial site is located in Qardaha, in western Syria.
10:06 AM EST, December 11, 2024
Once again, Syrian rebels have taken action against the despised family of dictators who have ruled the country for five decades. The tomb of Hafez al-Assad has been set ablaze.
"The tomb of the cursed dictator Hafez al-Assad was set on fire in Qardaha," reported pro-rebel journalist Nedal al-Amari on social media. Photos published by him show the charred remains of the sarcophagus and rebels posing with the Syrian flag.
A day earlier, the rebels had entered Qardaha, the hometown of Bashar al-Assad, without encountering any resistance from the inhabitants.
According to the Polish Press Agency, the first rebels to enter the mausoleum of Assad Sr. placed shoes on the tomb, which in Arab culture is a sign of the deepest contempt. Hafez al-Assad died in 2000.
His son, Bashar al-Assad, who took over power from him, fled Damascus last weekend after nearly 25 years of rule when the rebels announced the end of his regime.
Bashar and his family turned to Vladimir Putin for help and were granted asylum in Russia. This escape ended the 53-year rule of the Assad dynasty.
However, the rebels do not conceal their hatred for the dictator's family, and none of its members can feel safe now.
On Monday, in the city of Latakia, rebels hanged Suleiman Hilal al-Assad, a cousin of the ousted dictator, from a crane. This information appeared in Arab media, and videos of the man's execution were published.
These events are the latest stage in the ongoing conflict in Syria, which has destabilized the region for years. The situation in the country remains tense, and Syria's future is uncertain.
