Alarm as Syria plans private jet hub on former torture site
Syrian government plans to turn a former military airport in Damascus into a hub for private jets are raising alarm among rights groups and residents who say redevelopment could disturb suspected mass graves and override private land claims. Syria’s civil aviation authority said last week it was preparing to reclassify Mezzeh military airport for limited civilian use, focused on private and…
The Syrian government has announced plans to transform Mezzeh military airport in Damascus into a private jet hub, sparking concerns among rights groups and residents. The conversion, aimed at limited civilian use focused on private and executive aviation, is seen as a test of how Syria's new authorities balance investment attraction and redevelopment with the unresolved legacies of the Assad regime.
Mezzeh, previously used by the Air Force Intelligence Directorate for torture, executions, and enforced disappearances, houses suspected mass graves and a complex history of state expropriation. The redevelopment project, initiated by Syria’s civil aviation authority, has already begun with rubble removal and infrastructure upgrades.
However, rights groups warn that the construction could disturb graves and override private land claims. SJAC, a US-based Syrian-led human rights group, has provided the National Commission for Missing Persons with coordinates of suspected graves within the airport, urging authorities to halt construction until the sites are investigated.
The Syrian civil aviation authority, the National Commission for Missing Persons, and the defence ministry have not responded to inquiries regarding the graves and land rights. Residents, who have a documented right to the land, protested against the redevelopment plans, arguing that they should be included in discussions over compensation.
This controversy comes as Syria faces pressure to address Assad-era property seizures, with UN land rights experts calling for the suspension and repeal of laws that enabled systematic dispossession under the Assad regime.
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