Unearthing Secrets
Nestled on Mount Qasyun’s slopes, offering a commanding view of Damascus, lies a clandestine network of tunnels. These passageways intricately connect a military complex responsible for safeguarding the Syrian capital to the presidential palace that stands in direct opposition.
Following the upheaval that culminated in Bashar al-Assad’s ousting on December 8, these tunnels, previously shrouded in secrecy, have emerged as poignant symbols of his regime’s downfall. A witness from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a prominent Islamist faction within the coalition that overthrew Assad, recounted their expedition into the expansive Republican Guard barracks post-liberation.
The Strategic Mountain Stronghold
Throughout Assad’s reign, Mount Qasyun remained inaccessible to Damascus residents due to its strategic significance as an ideal sniper location. From this vantage point, overlooking governmental edifices and presidential enclaves, artillery units relentlessly bombarded rebel-held territories besieging the capital.
Venturing inside the Guard complex reveals fortified bunkers housing spacious chambers designated for soldiers. These subterranean structures are equipped with essential amenities such as telecommunications infrastructure, electricity provisions, ventilation systems, and ample weapon stockpiles. Additionally, rudimentary tunnels carved into rock formations were utilized for storing ammunition supplies.
Despite these sophisticated infrastructures within Syria’s military apparatus at Mount Qasyun’s foothold, the regime faced imminent collapse as rebel forces swiftly advanced towards Damascus from their northern bastion within a mere fortnight. The once-imposing statue of Bassel al-Assad crowning a horse now lies desecrated within the Guard camp—a stark testament to vanquished dynasty aspirations.
A Symbolic Shift in Power
Within this sprawling expanse formerly under regime control, former insurgents repurpose images depicting Bashar al-Assad and his predecessor Hafez al-Assad for target practice sessions. Abandoned tanks and heavy armaments linger beneath protective stone alcoves while eerie remnants of atrocities committed by Bashir materialize in rusted barrels—once deployed by helicopters to rain destruction upon civilian populations in northern Syria.
The United Nations has unequivocally condemned Bashar al-Assad’s deployment of barrel bombs against civilian strongholds held by opposition factions during Syria’s protracted civil strife that erupted in 2011. As echoes of rebellion reverberate across these forsaken corridors and dilapidated enclosures atop Mount Qasyun, they serve as poignant reminders of an erstwhile hegemony crumbling amidst insurgency and defiance.
