Guardian reporter at the scene of the burnt tomb of Assad’s father – video

Syrians returned to a mausoleum in Qardaha near Latakia that housed the remains of Hafez al-Assad, who seized control of Syria in 1970. A day after the remains of the former leader were burned by armed Islamist rebels, people fired bullets into the building and visited the charred remains. Assad ruled over Syria until 2000 in what has been described as one of the most oppressive police states in the Middle East. His son, Bashar al-Assad, was ousted and fled the country after rebels captured the capital after a lightning advance completed in just under two weeks