When prisoners were liberated from their underground cells in Damascus, a shocking scene unfolded. Crowds, filled with a mix of emotions, began to roam the mansions of the ousted former president Bashar al-Assad. They were not only grabbing what they could carry but also marvelling at the opulence that had once been his.

Images from the Presidential Palace

In the presidential palace, pictures showed a man carrying a beige plush chair over his shoulder as he walked on the tiled floors beneath intricately carved wooden ceilings. Another image depicted a smashed chandelier lying in a courtyard beneath an ornate sloping staircase, with a crumpled Syrian flag among the broken glass. Wooden furniture and fittings were being carried into the garden, as people tried to take away as much as they could.

Inside Assad's Houses

Video footage revealed a man running through one of Assad's houses in the al-Maliki neighbourhood. He ran over plush red carpets, shiny marble floors, and past a rack of clothes including a Dior garment bag. He shouted in disbelief, unable to fathom what was happening. The halls and opulent bedrooms of Assad's mansions seemed eerily empty, with only looters and spectators present. After the former leader fled to Moscow with his family, these once grand spaces were left in disarray.

The Wealth Estimate

The state department estimated the net wealth of the Assad family to be up to £1.6bn in a 2022 report to Congress. It was noted that this was just an estimate as their extensive collection of family assets was believed to be spread out and concealed in numerous accounts, real estate portfolios, corporations, and offshore tax havens. The Assads had deep "patronage relationships with Syria's largest economic players, using their companies to launder money from illicit activities and funnel funds to the regime. These networks permeated all sectors of the Syrian economy."

Syrian Poverty Amidst Wealth

While the Assad family and their friends enjoyed the trappings of their wealth, Syrians were starving. A 2022 World Bank report stated that 14.5 million people, almost 70% of the population, lived in poverty, and one in every four people was affected by extreme poverty. Syrian influencer and comedian Fady Maaz shared videos of his finds inside one of Assad's houses. He rummaged through a fridge filled with bags of meat and found a paper bag from the luxury brand Hermès in front of the fridge. In another room, groups of people ransacked racks filled with artworks and paintings, wading through piles of boxes and paper on the floor.

Assad's Car Collection

Others entered a spacious garage filled with Assad's car collection. Dozens of luxury cars were parked there, including Aston Martins and a Lamborghini. A new shiny black Lexus four-wheel-drive was parked near a rare red Ferrari F50, which can cost £1.5m. These cars stood as a testament to the family's wealth in the midst of a country facing economic hardships.