The grave of the father of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Hafez, was set on fire in his hometown of Kardaha.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that rebels set fire to the mausoleum located in Latakia, in the heart of Assad's Alawite community.
AFP footage shows parts of the mausoleum in flames and damaged.
The huge elevated structure at the top of the hill has an intricate architectural design with several arches, and its exterior is decorated with ornaments etched in stone.
It contains the graves of other members of the Assad family, including Bashar's brother, Bassel. He was being groomed to inherit power before he was killed in a road accident in 1994.
On December 8, in a lightning offensive, Islamist-led rebels captured key towns before reaching Damascus, forcing Assad to flee. They ended more than 50 years of family rule. | BGNES
