This is the second blog post by photographer Khalil. Over a decade ago, Khalil took part in a visiting artists’ program led by PPP Associate Artist Gary Stewart in partnership with the British Council. Over the years, Khalil has sent us powerful testimonies about his life as a Palestinian refugee in Syria.
On 8 December 2024, Ba’athist Syria, led by President Bashar al-Assad, collapsed during a major offensive by opposition forces. Khalil took to the streets to celebrate, hoping for freedom. This is what Khalil has shared with us:
Syria, 21st December, 2024
By Khalil
On the night of the fall of Damascus, we were filled with fear, yet we remained very optimistic about rebuilding Syria.
We were overjoyed as thousands of detainees were released, but our eyes were fixed on the infamous Sednaya prison. About 2,500 detainees were freed from Sednaya. Unfortunately, the fate of 300,000 detainees remains unknown.
The families of the victims searched every corner of Sednaya prison, hoping to find secret passages that might lead to other hidden prisons, but they found nothing. Even the White Helmets team and a Turkish team intervened, yet their efforts uncovered nothing.
Sednaya prison is a place of unimaginable horror.
The torture that occurred within its walls is equally horrifying.
Detainees who emerged from Sednaya bore the scars of memory loss and emaciation, their bodies ravaged by lack of food and relentless torture.
Recently, bodies of detainees were discovered in Harasta Military Hospital, along with mass graves containing thousands of corpses. The scale of these discoveries is almost beyond belief. Families of the detainees have lost hope of ever finding their loved ones alive.
(This is a mother who was waiting for her son to be released from Sednaya prison. She waited a long time and did not find him. When she lost hope, she took a rope from the hanging room, in case there was something of her son on it.)
But with the departure of Assad, everything began to change. The Syrian people, in all their diversity, came together to rebuild Syria. From the second week onward, living conditions in the country began to improve. The fighters, whom the Assad regime had demonized by labelling them as terrorists, turned out to be kind and cooperative.
The new government gave assurances about fundamental freedoms, including freedom of the press and freedom of belief. It emphasized respect for all individuals regardless of their beliefs, pledged not to interfere in women’s clothing choices, and stressed the unity of Syria. Efforts to rebuild a strong economy commenced, and the Syrian pound began to recover against the dollar, even amidst a shortage of foreign exchange reserves in the Central Bank.
European countries and the United States began reviewing their policies towards Syria. They reopened their embassies in Damascus and restored diplomatic relations.
I hold onto the hope that Syria will find peace, security, and prosperity. I also dream of a day when Palestinians will be liberated from occupation and their long-standing tragedy will come to an end.
(Some photos of detainees whose fate is unknown were published by their families. There are thousands of pictures spread all over Syria.)
Disclaimer: People’s Palace Projects (PPP) has not fact-checked the content of this blog. The views expressed here are solely those of the artist who has worked with us in the past and maintained regular contact over the last 12 years of the war. Only now PPP feel it is safe to share their personal account publicly.
PPP welcomes photos and stories from other artists who have been involved in or impacted by the conflict. We value diverse perspectives and invite contributions to help document and reflect on this critical moment in history.