Details of more than 100 bodies burial in a mass grave in Sweida

In a joint statement to local media outlets, the Director of Health in Sweida, Dr. Osama Kandalaft, and the forensic doctor at the National Hospital, Dr. Akram Naim, explained the circumstances surrounding the burial of more than 100 bodies of Sweida residents who died during attacks by armed groups affiliated with the Syrian transitional government. The bodies were buried in a mass grave in the al-Raha area, south of the city.

Dr. Kandalaft stated that the burial took place on July 23, following full coordination with religious leaders and community leaders, who were present at the cemetery site. The bodies were documented and buried in a humane and documented manner.

He added that the National Hospital received approximately 500 bodies during the events, 388 of which were handed over to their families, while approximately 118 bodies remained unidentified or unclaimed. These bodies were carefully documented, shrouded, and placed in special body bags before being properly buried in the al-Raha cemetery.

Kandalaft explained that the bodies were buried in a clear division, with one area designated for men and another for women. Funeral prayers were performed in the presence of religious leaders, emphasizing that the burial was a humanitarian and moral duty, in accordance with Sharia law, "to honor the dead and preserve their dignity."

For his part, Dr. Akram Naim, a forensic doctor at Sweida National Hospital, confirmed that some of the bodies, belonging to members of the General Security, as well as two bodies belonging to Bedouin tribes (a man and a woman), were kept in the hospital and not buried with the rest of the bodies.

He indicated that these cases were duly documented and that the Syrian Red Crescent was notified, so that an appropriate decision could be made later, either to transport them to Damascus or to bury them with special arrangements.

Dr. Naim emphasized that the bodies buried in the al-Raha cemetery belong exclusively to the people of Sweida, and that the documentation process was carried out meticulously by the relevant authorities to preserve human and legal rights.

These statements come in response to the controversy sparked on social media regarding the circumstances and conditions of the burials. They affirmed the commitment of health, judicial, and religious institutions to official and ethical procedures and full coordination with the Syrian Red Crescent in this regard

Sh-S

ANHA