The footage appears to have been filmed by rebels, it goes through the property, starting in the living area before cutting to the vast network of empty, wide tunnels
Inside the Assad family’s secret underground escape tunnels
A James Bond villain-style secretive liar, complete with an underground tunnel network, reportedly belonging to the ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad’s brother has been revealed.
A video claiming to have been filmed inside the huge mansion is said to have been filmed since Assad fled the country and headed to Russia, claiming asylum from Vladimir Putin’s regime. The family left behind the huge mansion, filled with TVs and piles of personal belongings.
The clip claims to show Major General Maher al-Assad’s huge home complete with white staircase cut into the floor which spirals underground. The footage appears to have been filmed by rebels, it starts in the living area before cutting to the vast network of empty, wide tunnels with tall, curved ceilings.
The home reportedly belongs to Maher al-Assad – who is the deposed President’s brother – he is well known for his ruthlessness and holds a rank equivalent to major general in the Syrian army.
Back in March 2023 a BBC series “A Dangerous Dynasty: House of Assad” showed details of the President People’s Palace in the capital Damascus. The documentary said that Bashar’s father, Hafez, employed Japanese architect Kenzō Tange to design the palace which cost a purported $1billion (£800,000) and was completed in 1990.
Journalist Jeremy Bowen went on a rare visit in 2015 and wrote: “The palace is a workplace; the Assads live elsewhere. The marble guest house is built in the style of a small hotel; the library leads off a central majlis, or sitting area, with perhaps 30 armchairs. The fountains at the corners of the majlis were dry when I visited.”
The Latakia palace is right on the edge of a cliff, situated next to the sea so the family could flee in a boat if they came under siege. Footage from the BBC shows the enormous complex with tonnes of outdoor space.
Earlier we reported how an iron press has been used to horrifically crush prisoners to death in Assad’s “human slaughterhouse”, according to a shocking new video.
In new videos shared by rebels, the infamous Saydnaya Prison, which is known for its human rights abuses and horrific executions, shows an iron press which was allegedly used on prisoners during the Assad regime.
It is estimated by Amnesty International that up to 13,000 Syrians were killed between 2011 and 2016, and footage from rebels appears to show just one of the methods used. Video from inside the prison shows a large hydraulic press. Although the footage has not been verified yet, the torture and executions at the prison are widely documented.