Syrians explore Assad family's massive summer resort for first time | ABS-CBN News

Syrian civilians strolled through the remains of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad family summer resort on Friday (December 13). After a brutal 54-year rule and a 13-year civil war, Syrian rebels ousted Assad on Sunday, in a generational change for the Middle East. Since then, many of the properties belonging to Assad or his family have been looted or destroyed by Syrians looking to erase his legacy. Syrian cyclist Bassel Soufi rode his bike some 40 km from the northwestern city of Latakia on Friday morning to visit the resort in Burj Islam, which boasts a white villa with balconies overlooking the Mediterranean, a private beach, several gardens, and a walking path. Windows were shattered and broken glass littered the floor, no furniture was left, while toilets, showers, lights and other items were all broken or smashed. Following Assad's toppling, local residents - mostly Syrian Turkmen driven out to nearby villages due to the construction of the resort - entered the area for the first time since the Assad family built it some 50 years ago. (Production: Bulent Usta, Thomas Holdstock) For more ABS-CBN News, click the link below:    • Breaking News & Live Coverage   Check out the latest news on upcoming Halalan 2022 here:    • Halalan 2022   To watch the latest updates on COVID-19, click the link below:    • COVID-19 Updates   Subscribe to the ABS-CBN News channel! - http://bit.ly/TheABSCBNNews Watch the full episodes of TV Patrol on iWantTFC: http://bit.ly/TVPatrol-iWantTFC Visit our website at http://news.abs-cbn.com Facebook:   / abscbnnews   Twitter:   / abscbnnews   #ABS-CBNHighlights #LatestNews #ABSCBNNews