Reports of people trapped underground at Syria's Saydnaya prison investigated

It is thought thousands of people could still be trapped in hidden parts of the notorious Saydnaya prison.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatch LiveHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersReports of people trapped underground at notorious Syrian prison Watch: Women prisoners told ''you can go out now'' by Syrian rebelsThe Syrian civil defence group known as the White Helmets says it is investigating reports from survivors of the country's notorious Saydnaya prison that people are being detained in hidden underground cells.

Writing on X, the group says it has deployed five "specialised emergency teams" to the prison, who are being helped by a guide familiar with the prison's layout.

Saydnaya is one of the prisons to have been liberated as rebels took control of the country.

Authorities in Damascus province reported that efforts were continuing to free prisoners, some of whom were "almost choking to death" from lack of ventilation.

The Damascus Countryside Governorate has appealed on social media to former soldiers and prison workers in Bashar al-Assad's regime to provide the rebel forces with the codes to electronic underground doors.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2dx3ekpr59o

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