Before and After Photos Were Not Both Taken in Syria

MENA: We did a reverse image search on both of the images that are featured in the viral post. Our investigation concluded that not only are the two photos of entirely different buildings, but the images weren’t even taken in the same country.

The photo of the destroyed building that’s featured on the right-hand side does actually come from Syria. The building was destroyed after a 2012 assault by the Syrian army in the Baba Amr district of Homs. 

The same image can be found on Alamy with the following caption “Destruction in Jouret al-Shayah, a former opposition area in Homs. The city of Homs which is located in the center of Syria was once a anti Assad government real forces' strong hold, It was under the rebel's hand from 2011 until 2014.” It was photographed in 2017 by a Zuma Press photographer.

The image on the left-hand side shows Byblos Bank on Hamra street in Beirut, Lebanon. It was taken in 2011 by Reuters photographer Sharif Karim. The same photo can be found on the Reuters website with the caption: “Women cross the busy Hamra street in Beirut January 26, 2011. Hundreds of angry protesters burnt tyres and blocked roads across Lebanon on Tuesday after a Hezbollah-backed politician was named prime minister, shifting the balance of power in the country towards Syria and Iran.”