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Relatives of those killed and imprisoned react after Assad's fall

Some Syrians are hopeful that loved ones detained under Bashar al-Assad's regime may still be alive.

Those who expressed any form of dissent were disappeared, with tens of thousands being tortured or killed in the country's notorious jails.

Crowds have gathered at the capital's notorious Saydnaya prison, in the hope of finding any trace of their loved ones.

Assad's government collapsed following a major rebel offensive led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

9 December 2024

Syrian civil war

Bashar al-Assad

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Feras Killani, in glasses and a t-shirt and jeans, with dust on his arm, poiints down a damaged street towards a group of people

Watch: BBC reporter returns to childhood home destroyed in Syria civil war

Men sat in a line in a Syrian prison cell

BBC goes inside Syrian prison holding IS detainees

Ahmed al-Sharaa, wearing a black suit, walking with the BBC's Jeremy Bowen

Watch: BBC speaks to Syrian rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa

Dancing crowds in Aleppo celebrate end of Assad regime

Watch: Dancing crowds in Aleppo celebrate end of Assad regime

Lina Sinjab wearing a pink cardigan at a rally in Damascus

Songs and celebrations at Damascus rally

Bowen looks at the camera against a backdrop of lush furnishings

Jeremy Bowen: Assad's palace, once a symbol of power, now an empty shell

Jeremy Bowen walking with a crowd of people in Damascus heading towards what they believe is a public execution

BBC sees crowd surge over rumoured execution of Assad henchman

Five male Syrian rebels hold two Syrian flags with their arms raised in celebration standing over the burned gravesite of Hafez al-Assad.

Syria rebels burn tomb of Bashar al-Assad's father

Blue road sign which has 'welcome to Syria' written on it

Celebratory gunfire as Syrians cross border from Lebanon

The BBC's Lina Sinjab reporting from Damascus, Syria

'People are seizing the moment to enjoy victory'

A woman is filmed in a prison in Syria as rebels free inmates

Women prisoners told 'you can go out now' by Syrian rebels

Lina Sinjab speaks to camera, as a fire burns behind her, in the night sky

BBC reporter: 'First time I've come to Syria without fear of arrest'

The BBC's Lina Sinjab pointing towards the house belonging to Bashar al-Assad with people walking in front of it

Watch: BBC sees looting at Bashar al-Assad's residence

Lina Sinjab in Damascus

BBC in Umayyad Square amid deafening gunfire

The interior of Assad residence

Watch: Assad residence stormed in Damascus

Woman celebrates in Damascus

Watch: The final hours of the Assad regime

Barbara Plett-Usher in Damascus

Watch: BBC reports from inside Damascus

People on top of a tank, some with their arms in the air and some with their phones to hand

Crowds gather in Damascus after rebels declare city 'free'

Statue being torn down

Statue of Bashar al-Assad's father toppled in Damascus suburb

Map of Syria with red circles showing areas rebels have captured

Tracking Syrian rebels' lightning offensive as they approach key city

Hafez al-Assad statue falling at an angle in the dark surrounded by crowds

Moment former Syrian president's statue toppled in Hama

Rebels say they have taken full control of a second major city, after the military withdrew its troops.

Annotated BBC Verify map showing the location of a verified Syria video.

BBC Verify tracks week of rebel advances in Syria

It’s been one week since rebel forces launched their largest offensive against the Syrian government in years. BBC Verify has been tracking their advances.

Statue being toppled in Aleppo, Syria

Statue of Syrian president's brother is torn down in Aleppo

The footage, which has muted sound, was filmed by Turkish journalist Ibrahim Bozan on 30 November 2024.

A young woman stands in front of rubble

Beirut resident returning home: 'Everything was gone'

25 year-old Rayane Salman describes how she and her parents lost their home and possessions in an Israeli air strike.

Destroyed buildings following Israeli strike

BBC sees destruction in southern Beirut suburb

BBC Arabic’s Rami Ruhayem went to Dahieh, in southern Beirut, to see the damage caused by Israel's attacks.

A highway packed with cars towards south Lebanon

BBC on the ground as people return to southern Lebanon

The BBC's Middle East correspondent, Hugo Bachega, is at the main highway between Beirut and the south as people start to return to their homes.

Split screen of man in Tel Aviv and woman in Beirut

Watch: People in Israel and Lebanon react to ceasefire deal

People in Tel Aviv and Beirut shared feelings of relief and doubt as they reacted to the news.

Israeli soldiers stand on a tank by Israel’s border with Lebanon in northern Israel, 26 November 2024

Watch: Netanyahu explains why Israel agreed ceasefire deal

His announcement comes after more than a year of conflict between Israeli and Hezbollah forces.

Firefighter and man stand amidst the rubble in Burj Al-Barajneh, Beirut

Aftermath of Israeli strikes on Beirut neighbourhoods

Israel launches extensive air strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs after its military issued evacuation orders in the area.

BBC Middle East correspondent Hugo Bachega at scene of destroyed building in Beirut, Lebanon

Beirut strike 'so powerful it was felt across the city'

An eight-storey building in Lebanon's capital was destroyed when it was struck without warning, the BBC's Hugo Bachega says.

Adam Kassak (on the left) and Ali Baydoun smile at the camera with their arms crossed in front of their chests

Beirut: Meet the TikTokers filming destroyed homes

In Beirut, two TikTokers are filming the damage caused by Israeli air strikes for families who have fled.

Damaged building in Iran

Strikes on Tehran another big escalation - Jeremy Bowen

Israel has launched air strikes on Iran, with blasts heard in the capital Tehran.

Projectiles in sky over Tehran

Projectiles seen in sky over Tehran

Israel says it has conducted "precise strikes on military targets" in Iran.

Daniel Hagari

Watch: Israeli military announces strikes in Iran

Rear Adm Daniel Hagari says the strikes are in response to Iran "relentlessly attacking" Israel.

Dust tornado

Dust tornado and lightning captured on camera in UAE

Drivers near the city of Sharjah stopped their cars to watch the spiralling spectacle.

The BBC's Orla Guerin is taken on a tour of Al Sahel Hospital in Beirut

BBC tours hospital Israel says sits above millions in Hezbollah gold

The BBC’s Orla Guerin is taken on a tour of Al Sahel Hospital in Beirut.

Yahya Sinwar

BBC Verify analyses footage of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar's killing

The BBC's analysis editor Ros Atkins looks at footage said to show Yahya Sinwar's final moments.

A person sitting in an armchair outlined in red in IDF video

IDF drone footage 'shows Sinwar in final moments'

Drone footage released by the Israeli military on Thursday is said to show Sinwar in the moments before he was killed.

Benjamin Netanyahu

Netanyahu says focus on hostages after Sinwar death

Sinwar, who topped Israel's most-wanted list, was a key figure believed to have been behind the 7 October attacks.

BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner, in the BBC newsroom

What the death of Yahya Sinwar means for the Middle East

The Israel Defense Forces say it has killed the Hamas leader, the man seen as responsible for 7 October.