Recent events in Syria, including the Syrian Army’s advance into areas previously controlled by the SDF and the subsequent ceasefire agreement brokered by President Ahmad al-Shareh to integrate SDF forces into the Syrian Army, have triggered powerful memories for many Syrians. The liberation of prisoners, reminiscent of the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, is now being replayed through the lens of SDF-run prisons.
A video circulating online depicts tribal fighters opening a women’s prison in Raqqa, releasing women and children. This scene has sparked widespread outrage across social media platforms. The images evoke painful memories of the Assad era, with many drawing direct comparisons to the notorious Sednaya prison.
Social media users have commented on the striking similarities between this event and the liberation of prisoners following Assad’s downfall. One user wrote, “Do you remember when Bashar al-Assad fell and revolutionaries opened the world’s worst prison, Sednaya, and women and children were released? Today, the scene is repeating itself. The Syrian Army, after entering Raqqa, liberated prisoners in Raqqa prison, releasing women and children imprisoned by the SDF militia.”
Others echoed this sentiment, stating, “It’s the same scene as Sednaya prison when women, children, and minors were freed. What’s the difference between the SDF and Bashar’s forces?”
The presence of children within the prison walls has been particularly shocking for many. “Children in the prisons of those who claimed democracy, peace, and brotherhood?” one commenter questioned. “The SDF is a functional militia whose role is over; it was never a state project.”
Syrians have described the scenes as “shocking,” noting that the video is a stark reminder of past events in Aleppo, Hama, Homs, and Damascus during the “Deterrence of Aggression” campaign, when the doors of Assad regime prisons were broken open, revealing women and their children inside. Activists have highlighted the presence of young children, some as young as 12, in the prison, arguing that “the SDF militia and Assad are two sides of the same coin.”
