Syria. Assad imprisoned his opponents in a “human slaughterhouse”. Syrians are racing against time to find their loved ones there

The river of people seems endless. They are heading towards Syria's most notorious prison, Sednaya, driven by reports that thousands of people imprisoned by Bashar al-Assad's regime are still in the prison's underground section. Relatives of those imprisoned have been trying to get to this part, called the “red section,” for many days, Maysoon Laboud, whose three brothers and son-in-law are staying there, tells CNN. There is no oxygen inside because the ventilation is broken. Everyone can die.

The roads are jammed with cars full of families looking for their loved ones. As soon as they see the CNN camera, they approach, holding lists of the names of those who have disappeared into Assad's dungeons.

At one point, the CNN crew sees a crowd of people start running, hoping that they have managed to get to the “red section” of the prison. After the initial joy, there is a painful wait for information from the rescuers. Many have been waiting for this for decades.

Rescuers in white helmets are breaking through the concrete, looking for a way inside. No one is sure where this red section is or if it even exists. At the same time, family members are searching inside the prison. Everywhere you can see people combing through documents, looking for names. They check if their loved ones are there.

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Tens of thousands of Syrians were forcibly thrown into Sednaya prison, a place that was known as a “slaughterhouse”. Detentions on an industrial scale and torture – all to keep one man in power. Assad may be gone, but the legacy of his cruelty remains.