In the Jaramana suburb of Damascus, whispers of a mysterious government compound had long circulated among residents. The heavily fortified facility, inaccessible to anyone except regime forces, was shrouded in secrecy. When Islamist rebels removed Bashar al-Assad from power in December, locals wasted no time rushing to see what lay behind its walls. What they discovered painted a chilling picture of Syria’s hidden operations—a suspected chemical laboratory filled with toxic substances capable of producing illicit drugs or chemical weapons, alongside what appeared to be an explosives workshop.
The discovery comes amid longstanding accusations against the Assad regime for producing chemical weapons and engaging in illegal drug trafficking. While Assad had claimed in the past to have dismantled Syria’s chemical weapons program, reports of continued chemical attacks on civilians and evidence of drug production, such as the highly addictive captagon, suggest otherwise.
Farouq Habib, deputy general manager of the White Helmets, suspects the lab might have been tied to Assad’s chemical weapons program. “The regime claimed years ago that it had disposed of all its chemical weapons, but we knew that wasn’t true,” Habib told CNN, as he sifted through documents left behind at the scene. He described the facility as a multi-purpose operation, officially designated as a State Security branch but secretly housing laboratories, chemical stockpiles, improvised explosive devices, and even a small mortar shell factory.
Habib believes the documents and samples collected at the site will provide crucial insights into its operations. Some of the paperwork referenced the handling of toxic chemicals, while one unverified document hinted at communication between the facility’s command and the Russian military.
Evidence of improvised chemical weapons
The sprawling compound consisted of several multi-story buildings, basements, workshops, and even dormitories for staff. Within its walls, CNN found evidence of improvised weapon production, including barrel bombs, pipe bomb components, and stockpiles of mortar shells. There was also a smelting workshop and boxes of C-4 explosives.
Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a chemical weapons expert and former commanding officer of NATO’s Rapid Reaction Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Battalion, reviewed the findings. He concluded that the site was likely a research facility rather than a full-scale chemical weapons production plant. However, he noted that modifying conventional weapons to include chemical agents, such as chlorine or ammonia, was a common tactic used by the Assad regime.
The hazmat team’s detectors suggested the presence of industrial chemicals like chlorine and ammonia, as well as lewisite, a blistering agent. While these readings can sometimes produce false positives, the findings add to concerns about the potential misuse of such substances.
A race against time
The White Helmets were alerted to the facility by a local Druze leader, who said a community pharmacist had raised concerns about toxic materials stored there. The site had already been looted after regime forces fled, with valuable items like electrical wires removed, leaving behind shattered windows and debris.
The urgency to secure the site stemmed from fears that the hazardous materials could fall into the wrong hands. Syria’s suspected stockpiles of chemical weapons, banned under international law, pose a significant risk not only to Syrians but to global security.
“We were receiving calls from civilians in the neighborhood who were scared and wanted us to remove these materials immediately,” Habib explained. The White Helmets, known for their work responding to chemical attacks during the war, took on the perilous task.
Dressed in full protective gear, volunteers navigated the site with extreme caution. Shards of glass littered the floors, and even a small tear in their suits could prove fatal. Despite the risks, the team worked tirelessly, often in cockroach-infested basements where contamination levels were dangerously high.
By the time the mission ended past midnight, most of the chemicals had been moved to a secure location, preventing further exposure to the local population. The next day, the materials were buried in an undisclosed desert location, where they will remain until they can be safely disposed of.
A global threat
For the White Helmets, this mission was just one of many. Habib emphasized the importance of locating and securing sites like the one in Jaramana to prevent future misuse. “If these agents aren’t preserved and disposed of soon, they could end up in the wrong hands and be used against Syrians or others. This is a global threat to humanity,” he said.
The discovery underscores the lingering dangers posed by Assad’s toxic legacy. Even after his regime’s collapse, the remnants of its chemical weapons program and illicit activities continue to cast a long shadow.
Habib called for international cooperation to address the threat, urging the global community to unite in securing and dismantling such sites. “We must work together to put an end to this,” he said.
As the White Helmets continue their efforts, the Jaramana facility stands as a grim reminder of the lengths the Assad regime went to maintain its grip on power. For Syria, the path to recovery will require not only rebuilding its institutions but also confronting the dark chapters of its recent history.
