Beginning in 2018, long trenches, similar to those at #Qutayfa, began appearing in satellite images analyzed by The Times. The trenches were much longer than the crudely dug pits from years earlier. The operation at #Najha had become more systematic.

With limited access to #Najha in 2013, the government that year shifted operations to another large mass grave site in Qutayfa, a town about 20 miles north of #Damascus. Mihzah, who worked at both sites, said that at #Qutayfa, he and others excavated long and narrow trenches.

Spoke to a former driver for the #Assad govt, who said he transported trucks of bodies from the #Harasta military hospital to #massgraves and witnessed burials at #Najha.
“I thought about leaving, but that would have put my family at risk.Every truck driver had to follow orders.”

#Assad repeatedly denied killing people in detention, but the practice's been documented extensively. The exact number of bodies in #massgraves like #Najha cannot be known until excavations are completed. The #SNHR estimates that over 160,000 jailed people are still missing.