Outdated Video Shared As Recent UAE Explosion
The Claim
The video shows the fire that broke out as a result of the explosions that rocked the UAE on the morning of Jan. 17.
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Emerging story
Social media accounts shared a video on Jan. 17 claiming it showed a fire that broke out as a result of the recent explosion that took place in the United Arab Emirates’ capital of Abu Dhabi.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar’s team investigated the claim and found it misleading. The video is outdated; it was taken when a fire broke out in a popular market in UAE’s emirate of Ajman on Aug. 5, 2020. The fire has nothing to do with the explosions that occurred today in the country.
The claim started to circulate following the announcement by Abu Dhabi Police that three tankers carrying petroleum products had exploded today. The Police said initial investigations indicate that the explosions were potentially caused by unmanned aerial vehicles (or drones).
The Saudi-led coalition also announced that it had monitored the Yemeni Houthi group’s launch of drones from Sanaa Airport, describing what happened as a hostile escalation.
In addition, the military spokesman for the Houthi group in Yemen, Yahya Sare’e, shared a tweet this morning indicating that a statement would be issued in the coming hours to reveal the details of the “military operation.”
Misbar had already verified the circulated video in an earlier fact-checking piece when it was shared as a fire breaking out in Dubai, rather than Ajman.
Translated by Ahmed N. A. Almassri
