Syrian civil defence teams have discovered a new mass grave east of Douma, near the capital Damascus, recovering the remains of 20 people — most of them women and children.

According to the state-run Al-Ikhbariya channel, the grave was found in the Tal al-Sawan area. Civil defence officials said the victims had no clothing when found, suggesting they were killed while unclothed.

Authorities have yet to identify the bodies. The National Commission for Missing Persons is leading the investigation in coordination with the Interior Ministry and forensic experts.

Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024, several mass graves have been unearthed across Syria, many revealing evidence of killings and disappearances linked to the former government.

President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who leads the transitional administration formed in January, has vowed to bring those responsible for past crimes to justice. Speaking at the UN General Assembly in September, Sharaa pledged to ensure accountability for “every person whose hands are stained with the blood of innocents.”

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