SYRIA. Damascus. December 12, 2024.

Inside an office of the Palestine Branch security complex, stacks of records lie abandoned, their edges curled with age and neglect. The desks, once symbols of absolute control, are now scattered with papers hastily left behind by fleeing Syrian regime security officers. The files, many marked with official seals and coded notations, offer a glimpse into the inner workings of one of the most feared institutions of the Assad regime.

For decades, the Palestine Branch, run by Syrian military intelligence in southeastern Damascus, served as a hub for systematic torture, brutal interrogations, and the detention of political prisoners, dissidents, and suspected insurgents. Survivors have recounted harrowing tales of abuse, and many who entered its walls were never seen again. These abandoned records are potential keys to understanding the scale of the atrocities committed and the identities of those who were lost to its machinery of repression.

Some of the documents detail arrest orders and interrogation transcripts, while others bear the names of prisoners or evidence of surveillance operations. They stand as stark reminders of the regime’s reach and the pervasive fear it instilled. In the chaos of the regime’s collapse, these papers now hold the power to reveal truths long hidden, potentially paving the way for accountability and justice.