US Accuses Syria of Killing Thousands of Detainees, Cremating Bodies

The US State Department on May 15 accused the Syrian government of ordering the extrajudicial killings of thousands of detainees, and covering up many of those killings by cremating the bodies.In a press briefing, Acting Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs Stuart Jones said “numerous NGOs” estimated that the Syrian regime had abducted and detained between 65,000 and 117,000 people between 2011 and 2015, and had “authorized the extrajudicial killings of thousands of detainees, using mass hangings, at the Saydnaya military prison.” Citing unnamed sources, Jones claimed as many as 50 people were killed at Saydnaya daily. He said the US believed a crematorium had been erected in the Saydnaya complex, and that it was constructed to cover up the extent of “mass murders” at the prison.Jones said the US was “appalled by the atrocities carried out by the Syrian regime,” and reiterated the US belief that “these atrocities have been carried out, seemingly, with unconditional support from Iran and Russia.” He said the US was calling on Russia to use its influence over the Syrian government to end “horrific violations.”Amnesty International issued reports in August 2016 and February 2017 containing allegations that at least 17,000 people had died in Syrian prisons since March 2011.