On December 25, massive demonstrations erupted across several Syrian cities, most notably Homs, Latakia, Tartus, and Qardaha. The protests were triggered by a video circulating on social media, which lacks a confirmed recording date. The footage shows a fire inside the shrine of Sheikh Abu Abdullah al-Hussein al-Khusaibi in Aleppo, with armed individuals seen wandering within the premises.
The shrine is one of the most prominent religious symbols of the Alawite community in Aleppo, holding sacred significance for them. The fire depicted in the circulated video sparked outrage and discontent among members of the Alawite community, who perceived the incident as an attack on their sanctities. The video's spread has exacerbated sectarian tensions in some Syrian regions.
The Ministry of Interior, under the caretaker government, clarified that the video documenting the attack on the al-Khusaibi shrine dates back to a previous period. It was captured during the liberation of Aleppo last November by an "unknown group" aiming to "incite strife among the Syrian people."
Sources further explained that the al-Khusaibi shrine is located near Hanano Barracks and several military installations. It had been used as a refuge by some regime officers during clashes in the area. The sources indicated that the refusal of these officers to surrender led to their deaths within the shrine's grounds, resulting in the outbreak of a fire amid the fighting.
The spread of such misleading claims on social media aligns with an orchestrated media campaign designed to incite hate speech and destabilize civil harmony in Syria following the ousting of former President Bashar al-Assad.
This campaign targets the Alawite community amid the political shifts occurring in the country after the regime's collapse. By spreading these claims, it seeks to deepen sectarian divisions and ignite tensions among Syria’s diverse communities, posing a significant threat to the nation’s civil peace and stability.
In this article, Misbar reviews some of the most prominent and misleading claims that have recently surfaced on social media, relating to Syria's Alawite community. These claims focus on deepening sectarian divisions and fostering discord among Syria's social fabric, thereby amplifying hate speech and jeopardizing civil peace in the country.
Fake News Debunked: Death of Girl During Alawite Protest in Homs
Following the circulation of a video showing the burning of Sheikh al-Khusaibi’s shrine in Aleppo—which sparked widespread debate on social media—numerous misleading claims targeting the Alawite community have emerged. These claims aim to incite sectarian tensions. Misbar has worked to verify and debunk such misinformation.
During protests that erupted across Syrian cities in response to the alleged attack on the al-Khusaibi shrine, a photo was widely shared on social media. It was claimed to show a young Alawite girl killed by opposition military factions while dispersing a protest in Homs, central Syria.
The claim went viral on social media, stoking further anger and resentment among members of the Alawite community, who turned out in protest at what they perceived as an attack on one of their religious sacred symbols.
However, Misbar investigated the claim and found it to be misleading. Reports of the injury or death of Hanin Akkari during a protest in Homs were false. Hanin’s mother, Huda Mullah Hassan, along with other sources, denied the rumors.
Huda explained to Misbar that her 15-year-old daughter fainted after leaving Al-Kamal Institute in the Al-Waer neighborhood of Homs. The incident was due to her skipping a dose of medication for her epilepsy. Dr. Walid Abdul Samad and the director of Ibn al-Walid Hospital, Hilal Ramzi, confirmed that Hanin had sustained minor bruises from falling during her fainting episode. She received appropriate treatment and was discharged from the hospital after recovering.
Additionally, Shadi al-Hassan, director of civil defense in Homs, stated that they received a report about an unconscious girl in the Al-Waer neighborhood and promptly transported her to the hospital.
The danger of this photo lies in its potential to ignite strife and deepen sectarian divisions within Syrian society. The image, originally linked to a medical incident involving Hanin Akkari, was manipulated to convey a sectarian and political narrative that was entirely false. By associating the image with the death of an Alawite girl during the recent protests, the claim risked exacerbating tensions between Syria’s diverse communities.
Amid the volatile conditions in Syria following the ousting of former President Bashar al-Assad, any misleading image or claim can serve as a catalyst for collective outrage, complicating the political landscape and intensifying sectarian polarization.
In this context, the spread of such fabricated claims inflames hatred among different social groups, undermining Syria’s fragile civil peace at a critical juncture in its history.
Misleading Claims About Recent Executions of Alawites by Opposition Forces
Syrian society is among the most diverse in the Arab region, comprising various religious and ethnic groups spread across the country.
Recently, numerous allegations have emerged regarding retaliatory acts and field executions allegedly planned by armed opposition forces, particularly targeting women and other sectarian groups. These claims have heightened sectarian and ethnic tensions, deepened societal divisions, and instilled fear and panic among Syrian communities.
Misbar investigated the allegations and found them to be baseless. These misleading claims are designed to sow chaos, inflame social tensions, and deepen political and ethnic divides.
While the video of the burning of the shrine of Sheikh al-Khusaibi captured public attention, another video surfaced on social media. The video’s posters claimed it showed the execution of an Alawite individual by factions of a military operations room. Several accounts have claimed that the video is a recent incident that occurred after the overthrow of the government of Bashar al-Assad.
Upon investigation, Misbar revealed that the claim was misleading. The footage is old and dates back to the execution of a lieutenant from the former Syrian regime forces in 2015, not as it was alleged to have happened after the regime's fall. The original video was published on April 29, 2015, under the caption, "The Heroic Martyr Hamza Aliyan, Tartus Province."
Despite being an old incident, the video was reshared out of context to provoke tensions and amplify sectarian polarization in Syria. The footage was deliberately used to incite Syrians against one another, potentially exacerbating fears and anger among members of the Alawite community, who felt increasingly threatened by such circulated claims. Thus, the spread of these rumors could have devastating effects on peaceful coexistence among the different sects in Syria, further intensifying hostility and fear among them.
Another recent video alleged that hundreds of Alawites in Syria were being arrested and prepared for execution by the new Syrian operations administration.
Misbar debunked this claim, establishing that the footage originated from a Turkish news account dated December 24. The account clarified that the video showed thousands of soldiers from Bashar al-Assad’s deposed regime detained at the Iraqi border, awaiting transfer to the new Syrian operations administration for status regularization.
Additionally, several media outlets released videos showing Syrian regime soldiers gathering at the Iraq-Syria border, preparing to be handed over to the new Syrian authorities on the same day, December 24.
The widespread dissemination of misleading videos and claims in Syria reflects a strategic media campaign aiming to deepen sectarian and ideological divisions while sowing discord among the Syrian people.
Such falsehoods, whether about the burning of Sheikh al-Khusaibi’s shrine in Aleppo or allegations of recent Alawite executions by opposition factions, are tools used to intensify sectarian divides during a critical juncture in Syria’s history. These claims are chaotic attempts to destabilize Syrian society and exploit unfolding events to incite hatred among its diverse communities.
Misbar Investigation: Hate Speech in Syria Spread by Suspicious Accounts
A recent investigation by Misbar has uncovered a network of suspicious accounts that have been highly active on social media platforms following the collapse of the Syrian regime. These accounts, created in close proximity to the regime's downfall, propagate hate speech and incite sectarian violence, exacerbating divisions within Syrian society during a critical juncture.
Among the most prominent accounts identified by Misbar is “Syrian Coast Observatory,” an anonymous account followed by several Israeli-linked profiles. This account promotes the idea of establishing autonomous regions for the Alawite community in Syria. Another account, “Alawite Citizen,” has published posts advocating for the creation of an independent Alawite region within Syria. These calls align with a broader campaign aimed at fostering sectarian divisions, using rhetoric that incites violence and territorial fragmentation.
Analysis of the activities of these accounts revealed connections to others disseminating similar content. Some accounts adopt narratives consistent with the Israeli perspective on Syria, raising suspicions about coordinated efforts to exploit the Syrian crisis for political purposes.
The danger of these accounts is amplified by their links to individuals supportive of the former Syrian regime, such as Kevork Almassian. Known for his controversial stance, Almassian has previously shared posts glorifying the deposed regime. He is closely associated with online networks that perpetuate sectarian rhetoric and has previously participated in propaganda campaigns linking ISIS to Syrian opposition factions.
These accounts play a significant role in spreading misinformation, particularly during periods of crisis. Their activities sow discord among Syria’s diverse communities and intensify the fragile political climate. By amplifying sectarian tensions, these networks pose a grave threat to Syria’s civil cohesion and undermine efforts toward stability.
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