Uncovering a Hidden Operation
A Reuters investigation has uncovered a clandestine two-year program, described by sources as “Operation Move Earth,” in which thousands of corpses were moved from one of Syria’s largest mass graves to a secret desert location. The operation, spanning 2019 to 2021, was aimed at concealing crimes allegedly committed by the Assad government and restoring the regime’s image amid international scrutiny. Details emerged after Reuters spoke to 13 individuals with direct knowledge of the plan, reviewed official documents, and analyzed hundreds of satellite images of the grave sites.
The central sites involved were the Qutayfah grave, one of the war’s most expansive burial sites, and a second, hidden grave in the distant Dhumair desert. The apparent objective: create the impression that the Qutayfah grave no longer existed, while burying the evidence in a remote location dozens of kilometers away.
The Scale and Timeline
According to the witnesses, every week during February 2019 through April 2021, six to eight trucks transported dirt and human remains from Qutayfah to the Dhumair site. The operation involved a mix of drivers, mechanics, a bulldozer operator, and a former officer from Assad’s elite Republican Guard who had been involved from the outset. The project reportedly produced at least 34 trenches, each around 2 kilometers long, forming what appears to be an enormous new grave in the desert. While Reuters could not confirm every transfer, the pattern of activity and the magnitude of the site suggest tens of thousands of bodies could be buried there over the two-year period.
What Motivated the Move?
Witnesses say the driving purpose was to eradicate visible evidence of mass killings and to salvage international standing that had been battered by years of sanctions and widespread allegations of brutality. The plan reportedly originated in late 2018 as Assad’s forces were nearing a claimed victory in the war, with officials hoping to demonstrate normalcy and tighten the regime’s grip on the narrative.
From Grave to Desert: The Silent Relocation
Qutayfah’s grave began taking shape around 2012, with reports identifying it as housing bodies from prisons and military hospitals—people presumed to have died at the hands of the regime. The shift to Dhumair, a remote desert area, represents a dramatic, highly organized effort to distance the public record from one of the war’s most brutal symbols. The operation’s name, “Move Earth,” underscores the deliberate intent to relocate rather than merely conceal or forget.
Reactions and Accountability
The Syrian government has not publicly addressed Reuters’ findings. After the investigation, Reuters informed President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s office, but no immediate response was provided. Human rights advocates emphasize the urgency of accountability, noting that the mass grave sites document a broader pattern of disappearances and executions that demand forensic investigation and justice for families.
In Syria’s current transition, families of the missing await legitimate avenues to uncover the truth. The newly formed National Commission for Missing People has pledged to build a DNA database and a centralized platform for families, but resources remain scarce, and experts in forensic medicine are in short supply. Human rights researchers warn that without robust investigations and international cooperation, the truth behind these graves risks remaining buried as deeply as the sites themselves.
What Reuters Found and What Comes Next
Reuters’ methodology combined testimonies from those involved in the operation with an analysis of officials’ documents and satellite imagery over several years. The reporting stops short of disclosing the precise location of the Dhumair grave to protect it from tampering, but it highlights the scale of the operation and its alleged intent to erase evidence of crimes. A forthcoming Reuters special report will provide additional details about the clandestine execution, how investigators pieced together the story, and the challenges in documenting mass graves in a landscape scarred by years of conflict.
Hope for the Future: Tracing the Missing
Despite the difficulties, rights groups and lawmakers continue to push for a transparent, international approach to documenting mass graves. The path forward includes forensic DNA analysis, cataloging mass graves, and establishing independent mechanisms to support families of the missing. As Syria navigates a fragile post-conflict environment, the pursuit of truth remains a central pillar of justice for tens of thousands of people believed to lie in unmarked trenches across the country.
