Mass graves found near Syria’s capital could contain thousands of bodies

A mass grave that could contain the remains of thousands of people has been found outside Syria’s capital Damascus, as the new interim government promises to hold accountable those responsible for atrocities under the ousted President Bashar al-Assad.
The site at al-Qutayfah, located 40km (25 miles) north of the capital, was one of several mass graves identified across the country after the collapse of the decades-long rule of the al-Assad family.
Twelve mass graves were also discovered in southern Syria. At one site, 22 bodies, including those of women and children, exhibited signs of execution and torture.
Bashar al-Assad and his father Hafez, who preceded him as president and died in 2000, are accused by Syrians, rights groups and other governments of widespread extrajudicial killings, including mass executions within the country’s notorious prison system.

Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr reports from Qutayfa. Damascus countryside.
Nerma Jelacic is the Director of External Relations at the Commission for International Justice and Accountability. She joins us live from London to discuss the latest updates.

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