1980 Tadmor prison massacre
| 1980 Tadmor prison massacre | |
|---|---|
| Part of Islamist uprising in Syria | |
Image of Rifaat al-Assad, who led the massacre, from a CIA report | |
| Location | 34°33′32.00″N 38°17′7.01″E / 34.5588889°N 38.2852806°E Tadmor Prison, Palmyra, Syria |
| Date | June 27, 1980 |
| Target | Prisoners associated with Muslim Brotherhood |
Attack type | Massacre |
| Deaths | 500-1100 prisoners, 1 soldier |
| Injured | 2 soldiers |
| Perpetrators | Defense Companies 40th Army Corps 138th Security Brigade |
| Motive | Revenge for the assassination attempt on President Hafez al-Assad |
On June 27, 1980, a massacre was committed on the prisoners of the Tadmor Prison by the Syrian Defense Companies in revenge for an assassination attempt on Syrian President Hafez al-Assad, which took place the previous day. After the assassination attempt, on orders from the president's brother, Rifaat al-Assad, fighters from the Defense Companies militia flew into the prison in helicopters and began indiscriminately killing prisoners, ultimately killing an estimated 1,000 people.