U.S. says Syria built crematorium to cover up mass executions
The State Department released satellite images Monday to accuse Syria of building a crematorium at a prison complex near Damascus to hide mass executions. The U.S. says the crematorium was built to conceal evidence of potentially thousands of executions per year at the Sednaya Prison complex. The evidence presented, although circumstantial, includes a snow-free roof while nearby buildings were covered in snow, implying a significant heat source within that building. Officials also identified certain architectural features, including a discharge stack, as evidence. Amnesty International recently reported that thousands of civilians had been executed by hanging at the prison since 2011. Observers said the release of the images may suggest the Trump administration is trying to put pressure on Syria to engage in negotiations and embarrass the Assad government’s allies Russia and Iran.