Rescue teams search for thousands trapped in Syria's Sednaya Prison

Rescue efforts are underway at Sednaya Prison in Damascus, where thousands of prisoners are feared trapped in underground cells. Syrian rebels recently forced President Bashar al-Assad to flee, leading to increased urgency in freeing inmates. The Syrian Civil Defence Group is investigating reports of prisoners trapped inside. Their teams include specialists trained for complex rescue operations, as concerns grow over the lack of ventilation in the cells. Sednaya Prison has a history of severe human rights abuses, with over 30,000 deaths reported between 2011 and 2018 due to torture and starvation. The prison has been described as a "human slaughterhouse" by Amnesty International.