The Association of Detainees and Missing Persons of Sednaya Prison (ADMSP) denied that the famous Sednaya prison is currently under siege by any faction, following reports of the proximity of Syrian opposition groups to it.

The Association warned families against approaching the vicinity of the prison at this time, according to a statement published today, Saturday, December 7th.

The Association stated that the prison is surrounded by several minefields against individuals and armored units, some of which are adjacent to the outer and inner walls. It urged media activists to be precise in transmitting information to ensure the safety of families.

This warning came after activists published close-up pictures of Sednaya prison, amidst unconfirmed reports of withdrawals from its surroundings.

The prison is known as the “human slaughterhouse,” the “death factory,” the “grave,” and the “black hole,” among other names that survivors use to convey the magnitude of the tragedy they experienced inside the prison.

Since the opposition factions launched military operations against regime forces, starting with the “Deterrence of Aggression” operation on November 27th, thousands of detainees have been released from prisons in the cities of Aleppo and Hama, with factions currently advancing in the neighborhoods of the city of Homs.

Additionally, factions from Daraa, As-Suwayda, and Quneitra in southern Syria have released detainees from regime prisons in those cities and announced their complete control over the three cities, moving towards the capital, Damascus.

The Political Affairs Administration of the Syrian Salvation Government (SSG) operating in Idlib and Aleppo issued a statement directed at the international community, humanitarian organizations, and all parties concerned with human rights in Syria, warning that the Syrian regime may commit massacres against political detainees, activists, and opponents, or execute them in an act of revenge.

The statement issued today, Saturday, indicated that the regime has reached a stage of political and military collapse, and may resort to retaliatory strategies, including the elimination of detainees and the destruction of evidence of its crimes.

The statement held the international community responsible for protecting detainees and holding the Syrian regime accountable for any crimes that may be committed against them, and urged for intensified pressure to ensure their release.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) documented no less than 113,218 people, including 3,129 children and 6,712 women, who are still subjected to enforced disappearance by the parties to the conflict in Syria from March 2011 until August 2024.

The Syrian regime bears the largest responsibility for victims of enforced disappearance at a rate of 85%.