Syrians Visit Assad’s Once Exclusive Summer Resort
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RDA Gulf Correspondent - . January 26, 2025
- . Update: January 25, 2025 10:17 pm
The house is now entirely devoid of furnishings. Soon after the dictatorial monarch was overthrown this month, Assad and his family fled Syria and common Syrians broke into the once-off-limits house and ransacked it. Glass is broken, sinks are taken from bathroom counters, light fixtures are dragged from the ceilings and wires are visible on the walls where TVs were stolen. There are no more air conditioners or heaters.
One of the world’s most secretive dictators lived here and now Syrians who were afraid to speak about him are free to roam around the space that used to be his living room.
Just outside Latakia on Syria’s Mediterranean coast lies a long winding road that leads to the former family home of ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad. The settlement of Burj al-Islam is lined with olive and orange trees on both sides of the road.
The only sound that disturbs the property’s tranquility is the sound of electric sawing. Wood branches are being chopped and gathered by dozens of Syrians who then tie them in bunches and transport them on the backs of pickup trucks, bicycles and motorcycles. They leave the grounds and speed down the road.
People visiting the place stating, “we could never enter it before, but now we’re here.” The gardens of cacti, palm trees and various flowers encircle the contemporary white building. The expansive property features a private beach, a swimming pool and a huge kitchen. It was reportedly constructed half a century ago.
