Grave of ex-Syrian dictator Hafez al-Assad exhumed in Qardaha

The tomb of former Syrian president and longtime dictator Hafez al-Assad in the city of Qardaha, western Syria, has reportedly been exhumed, with his remains moved to an undisclosed location, according to activists and local media.

Images and videos circulated on social media on Monday showing the grave emptied and heavily damaged, appearing as a charred pit. Individuals dressed in military uniforms can be seen at the site, though their identity and affiliation remain unclear.

The footage, some of which was shared by Syrian outlet Zaman al-Wasl, is said to date back to 17 April. Activists claim that unknown individuals dug up the grave and transferred the remains elsewhere. Some blamed armed factions active in the area for the operation.

This marks the first time images have emerged showing the tomb of Assad, who ruled Syria with an iron grip for three decades until his death in 2000, being desecrated in such a manner.

The site had already been attacked and burned shortly after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime several months ago.

Syrian opponents of the regime stormed the burial site following government forces' withdrawal from Qardaha, a stronghold of the Assad family in Latakia province.

At the time, videos circulated showing protesters setting fire to the mausoleum, with some even urinating on the tombstone in acts of defiance symbolising the end of decades of authoritarian rule.

For more than two decades, the Assad regime had turned Hafez al-Assad's tomb into a shrine, requiring visiting dignitaries, soldiers, and citizens to pay public homage to the late ruler, who remains a deeply polarising figure.

While supporters praised him for bringing stability to Syria, critics, including many opposition groups, blamed him for laying the foundations of repression, corruption, and brutal sectarianism that exploded during the 2011 uprising and ensuing civil war.

Fall of Assad regime 

Following the collapse of the Assad regime, many locals from Qardaha voiced deep resentment over the construction of the lavish mausoleum in their impoverished town.

Anger had simmered for years as much of Syria descended into poverty while the Assad family maintained its immense wealth and privilege.

Reactions online to the reported exhumation were mixed. Some activists praised the removal of Assad’s remains as a necessary act to "cleanse Muslim lands of the tyrant," one post on X read, while others argued it was symbolic and would not alter the deeply fractured political and social landscape.

The exact timing of the exhumation and the current location of the remains remain unknown.

Hafez al-Assad seized power in a 1970 coup known as the "Corrective Movement", ruling Syria through a mixture of authoritarian control, extensive security networks, and brutal crackdowns on dissent.

His son, Bashar al-Assad, inherited power in 2000, but his reign descended into civil war following the 2011 Arab Spring protests, which were met with lethal force.