Syria calls crematorium claim a ‘Hollywood story’

The Syrian government today denied claims that it built a crematorium at a prison outside Damascus to dispose of as many as 50 executed detainees every day. Through the state-run SANA news agency, the Syrian Foreign Ministry called the claims a “Hollywood story detached from reality.” On Monday, the U.S. State Department revealed evidence pointing to the likely construction of the crematorium at the notorious Saydnaya prison. Western nations have long decried the brutality of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, particularly in its crackdown on dissent. But Stuart Jones, the top U.S. diplomat for the Middle East, said Assad “has sunk to a new level of depravity”—with the continuing military assistance of Russia and Iran. Jones said U.S. officials would continue to urge Russia to hold Assad responsible for his atrocities. The State Department hopes evidence presented yesterday will add to the growing pressure on Assad from the international community. According to Amnesty International, between 5,000 and 11,000 prisoners reportedly died at Saydnaya between 2011 and 2015.