For over 50 years, the Tadmori family resided in an apartment in Homs, Syria, with a direct and unsettling view of the local security directorate building. This structure was notorious for its role in the Assad regime's oppressive surveillance and brutal treatment of its citizens. The building served as a hub for torture and abuse, with countless individuals being arrested and taken away, their cries echoing through the neighborhood. Despite the constant threat, the Tadmori family remained untouched, their strategic location perhaps sparing them from the horrors that unfolded next door. However, they were not immune to the regime's reach, as regular visits from security officials reminded them of the ever-present danger.
As the regime focused on quelling protests and uprisings in Homs, the Tadmori family found themselves living under a cloud of fear and suspicion. Security officials frequently yelled at them to keep their windows shut, preventing them from witnessing the atrocities happening next door. The piercing screams from the basement prison became a haunting soundtrack to their daily lives.
"I saw them, but because I feared for my family, my children, I didn’t go with them," said Taha Tadmori.
The Assad regime's reputation for repression was well-earned, as it systematically crushed dissent across Syria. The Tadmoris were constantly reminded of the regime's power by Abu Abdo, a security official who developed a personal relationship with the family. Abu Abdo often demanded updates on their activities and even scrolled through their messages on WhatsApp.
"Information was a weapon they wielded all the time. They wanted information about everything," noted Tadmori.
Despite their uneasy coexistence with the regime, the Tadmori family's fate took a tragic turn when Firas Tadmori was arrested in 2011 for filming an anti-government protest. He was initially taken to a military prison in Homs before being transferred to Branch 215 in Damascus, a subterranean facility infamous for its harsh conditions. The family's desperate search for Firas after the fall of the regime yielded no results, extinguishing their 12-year hope of finding him alive.
"My brother, they want me in the political security building," Firas Tadmori had told his family.
"I asked him if he did anything wrong, and he said no. I told him it was OK to go, and we would wait here in our apartment for him. We waited the entire night," recounted Taha Tadmori.
The security services, primarily staffed by members of the Alawite sect loyal to Bashar al-Assad, continued to exert a tight grip on society. The Tadmoris were often forced to close their windows as more people were taken away by security forces. Despite their attempts to remain inconspicuous, they could not escape the pervasive scrutiny.
Following the regime's collapse, chaos ensued as looters ransacked the security directorate building in Homs. Efforts were made to free any remaining prisoners, but for families like the Tadmoris, it was too late.
"They didn’t feel fear. But believe me, every Friday I wept. I knew they would face such dark days," Taha Tadmori reflected on the protesters' fate.
The Tadmoris' encounters with Abu Abdo were a chilling reminder of how deeply entrenched surveillance had become in their lives. On one occasion, Taha recalled an unusual exchange with Abu Abdo.
"Please say hello to your daughter, I have nothing against you. Now go," Abu Abdo reportedly said to Taha during one of their meetings.