Tomb of Assad's Father Is Torched

The tomb that holds the remains of Bashar al-Assad's father has apparently been torched in Syria. The BBC reports that images (see them here) show fighters beside the burning gravesite of former president Hafez al-Assad, who died in 2000 and was interred in a mausoleum in his hometown of Qardaha. Some images show men posing with a Syrian flag amid the charred room. The BBC reports Hafez al-Assad ruled "ruthlessly" from 1971 until the time of his death, and that posters and statues of his likeness, as well as that of his son, have been taken down across the country.

The Guardian reports the "vast elevated structure atop a hill has an intricate architectural design with several arches, its exterior embellished with ornamentation etched in stone." The remains of other Assad family members are kept there, including Bashar's brother, Bassel, who died in a 1994 car accident.