Report Reveals Over 1,000 Syrians Killed at Mezzeh Military Airport, Grave Sites Identified

A new report from the Syria Justice and Accountability Centre (SJAC) has exposed the chilling deaths of more than 1,000 Syrians at the Mezzeh Military Airport on the outskirts of Damascus. The report, set to be released Thursday, traces the victims’ deaths to multiple mass grave sites, believed to be the final resting places for those executed, tortured, or subjected to maltreatment during the Syrian regime's crackdown on dissent.

The discovery comes after a meticulous investigation, using a combination of witness testimonies, satellite imagery, and documents recovered from the airport’s grounds in the wake of the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad. The report identifies seven grave sites, some located on the airport premises while others are spread across the Damascus area.

According to the report, the sites represent only a fraction of the widespread abuse in Syria's military detention system. The Mezzeh Military Airport, a site known for its association with extrajudicial killings, housed at least 29,000 detainees between 2011 and 2017. Some of the detainees were subjected to severe torture, daily interrogations, and horrific conditions, ultimately leading to their deaths.

The SJAC report draws on testimony from over 150 survivors and former regime officials, providing critical insights into the atrocities carried out by the Syrian regime’s air force intelligence unit, which operated the detention facility. The report highlights that the airport was a key site for both executions and covert mass burials. Executions were carried out by firing squad for officers and hanging for civilians. According to witnesses, many of those executed were hastily buried near the hangars.

As the brutal history of torture and mass executions comes to light, the international community faces growing calls for accountability. In December, the US Justice Department unsealed war crimes charges against two high-ranking Syrian air force intelligence officers, accusing them of inflicting cruel and inhuman treatment on detainees under their control at Mezzeh. The regime’s widespread use of chemical weapons and mass executions has led to ongoing investigations into the atrocities committed against the Syrian people.