SYRIA: Initial Response Team in Raqqa exhumes corpses from “Mass Grave 28”

RAQQA, Syria — On Monday, the Initial Response Team (IRT) of the Raqqa Civil Council, responsible for the exhumation of corpses from mass graves discovered in and around Raqqa city, removed several bodies from “Mass Grave 28” in the village of Kasra Faraj, south of the old bridge, in Raqqa.

Head of the IRT, Yasser al-Khamis, stated to North Press Agency that, “Following reports from residents, the IRT forensic group went to the location and inspected it, confirming the presence of corpses there.”

According to the initial forensic report, there are between 4 to 10 other corpses in the mass grave, in addition to another one that had already been exhumed by the team.

Al-Khamis also indicated that, since the establishment of the IRT in 2018, 6,100 bodies have been exhumed from mass graves in the area, 700 of which have been identified and delivered to their families. He also stated that there are five known mass graves that the team has not yet begun to work on.