Misleading Images and Videos Out of Context to Confuse the Syrian Scene

SadaNews - Social media accounts have broadcast videos, news, and images discussing the Syrian situation, attempting to confuse the landscape by disseminating misleading images and videos, and recycling old or "fabricated" content, at a sensitive time witnessing political and social tension.

Verification processes showed that these accounts rely on a repetitive method involving the inclusion of international and regional parties in incorrect narratives, and building storylines aimed at deepening the division among the components of Syrian society.

Reuters Reports an American Warning to "SDF"

Activists on social media circulated a statement attributed to Reuters, claiming that American officials informed the leadership of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) of the end of their project, giving them a final deadline for individual integration into the Syrian Arab Army.

A review of Reuters' archive and its coverage related to the Syrian file and the statements of American officials revealed that the agency did not publish any material containing this statement or its content.

Alleged Image of a Kurdish Political Victory

Accounts posted an image showing SDF leader Mazloum Abdi alongside the U.S. Secretary of State, with a Kurdish flag appearing next to the American flag, claiming that the image documents a political victory for the Kurdish people.

Upon examining the photo and comparing it to the original material published through reliable sources, it became clear that the scene had undergone digital manipulation using artificial intelligence techniques. Mazloum Abdi had also published the original images via his account on the "X" platform.

Analysis revealed that the original Syrian flag in the image had been replaced with a Kurdish flag, changing the meaning and context of the scene and imbuing it with a political dimension not present in the original version.

Protests Calling for the Expulsion of Druze from Israel

Accounts on Facebook, X, and TikTok circulated a "video" showing a group of people dressed in black protesting around an Israeli police car, claiming that the scene documents protests within Israel demanding the expulsion of Druze to Lebanon and Syria.

Tracking the source of the "video" and reviewing its history revealed that it has no relation to the circulating claim.

The footage dates back to old protests organized by religious Jews in occupied Jerusalem, against a court ruling allowing the autopsy of two children who died in a daycare center, which is a completely different context from the circulated narrative.

These campaigns reflect a systematic pattern targeting components of Syrian society at intermittent intervals, through broadcasting misleading content that is repurposed whenever sensitive political or security moments arise.

This method is based on fueling social divisions and sowing mutual distrust, impeding the path to stability and undermining the chances of cohesion in the new Syrian state, through creating a digital chaos that translates into real tension on the ground.

Source: Social Media