Unknown individuals broke into grave of ex-Syrian President Hafez Assad

Unconfirmed reports indicate that unidentified individuals broke into the mausoleum of former Syrian president Hafez Assad in Qardaha and removed his remains, leaving the site heavily damaged and burnt. The current location of Assad’s remains is unknown, coinciding with increased violence against the Alawite sect amid the rise of a Sunni-led government. In December 2024, following the overthrow of the Assad regime, rebels set fire to the mausoleum, symbolizing the decline of the Assad dynasty and the Alawite community’s influence in Syria.