On March 6, armed fighters loyal to former Syrian president Bashar Al Assad launched an attack on Syria's interim-government troops in Latakia. Syrian authorities, supported by pro-government militias, promptly counter-attacked, causing violence that rapidly spread to other governorates across the country's coastal towns.
Despite the widespread violence, the attacks remained targeted. The Alawite community, historically associated with the Assad regime, became the primary victims of retaliatory attacks. Civilians in Alawite-majority areas faced targeted violence, displacement, and reprisals, further deepening sectarian tensions.
These deadly escalations have not only resulted in significant casualties but have also led to intense debates about the complex realities on the ground and the reliability of information emerging from the newly liberated country.
The violence in Syria continues to play out physically and in the information space, where competing narratives, propaganda and disinformation run rampant. The Syrian Ministry of Information has issued warnings against the spread of falsehoods, while independent non-governmental organisations inside and outside of Syria have been working tirelessly to document and verify human rights violations, and debunk the deluge of fake news circulating online.
Social media platforms are brimming with conflicting reports, misleading images and footage and false claims of deaths, some of which have been debunked by the very people reportedly dead.
The first casualties
The first target of disinformation is usually always casualty count, and as is the case with most campaigns spreading false information, exaggerating those figures is a first point of call.
Varying accounts across X, Facebook and other social media platforms have spread claims that up to 7,000 Christians and Alawites were killed in Syria over a two-day period. This was fake news.
By 10 March, the SOHR, a war monitor that has tracked and verified Syrian casualties since 2011, reported that more than 973 civilians had been killed, the majority of whom were Alawites, though some were Muslim and Christian. However, the organisation has faced criticism recently for not accurately verifying casualty numbers.
Another Syrian war monitor, the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), released a preliminary report categorising the casualties as follows:
- Pro-Assad gunmen killed 172 interim-government troops and 211 civilians.
- Interim-government-linked troops, including foreign factions, killed 369 civilians.
- The documented casualties were recorded in Latakia, Tartous, Hama and Homs provinces.
The number of pro-Assad-affiliated gunmen killed remains unknown, as organisations like SNHR do not document the deaths of non-state armed group members, who under international law are not considered unlawful killings.
Documented cases of misinformation
One notable case of disinformation emerged at the height of the clashes when a young man named Ayham discovered false reports of his death circulating online. He responded by posting a video debunking claims that he was killed in Latakia and clarifying that he is alive, from Homs, Sunni and not a pharmacist as the misinformation post had claimed. The false reports originated from an anonymous X account (@george_khori), which has published hundreds of similar misleading posts.
Another instance involved Sahar Shaba, whose photo was widely shared with captions falsely claiming she had been killed by “terrorist Jolani forces”. Ms Shaba, an American citizen from Nevada who is Iraqi originally, took to social media to demand the removal of the false posts from X.
There have also been attempts to attribute past crimes committed by troops of the Assad regime to recent events. A 2013 massacre in Tartous, where civilians were summarily executed, has been falsely linked to the current situation, a claim debunked by the Syrian-led verification misinformation tracker.
Targeting minorities
The weaponisation of disinformation against minorities is not new in Syria. Mr Al Assad has long been accused of using sectarian divisions to consolidate power, and the recent coastal attacks once again highlight how misinformation networks, particularly on X and Facebook, exploit religious identities.
Verify-Sy, an independent fact-checking organisation focused on Syria, debunked a viral video claiming to show an Alawite family being executed by Hayat Tahrir Al Sham. The footage actually depicted Israeli troops attacking a family in Aitaroun, southern Lebanon, in January 2025.
Alawites in Syria have been particularly vulnerable in the new Syria due to Mr Al Assad’s family connection to the sect. This has made them a prime target for fake news.
But it is not just Alawites - Christians too have become a target of disinformation. A post circulated on the pro-Assad Facebook page Latakia News, which alleged that Syrian troops executed a Christian priest named Yohanna Yousesef Boutros. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese denied this, confirming the story was fabricated.
Meanwhile, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East reported that areas under attack were primarily inhabited by Alawites and Christians. Many innocent civilians were forcibly displaced, shot and killed, their homes and belongings looted. However, the Church did not specify who was responsible for these killings.
Western far-right Christian influencers have also been accused of amplifying sectarian tension. Observers note an increase in their engagement with Syria-related disinformation, exploiting the crisis to push divisive narratives.
Foreign actors' role in Syria’s disinformation
A continuing analysis by The National has revealed a vast network of bot accounts that are spreading disinformation. These accounts appear to have various affiliations, some Israeli, others loyal to the Assad regime, and some claiming Iraqi, Lebanese or Kurdish identities. Their primary aim appears to be amplifying false narratives to justify foreign interventions or support separatist projects.
We have observed that far-right Christian influencers and Israeli accounts have become notably active in disseminating false narratives about the plight of minorities in Syria.
Zouhir Al Shimale,
Verify-Sy
Bassam Alahmad, co-founder and executive director of Syrians for Truth and Justice (STJ), commented on the widespread involvement of foreign actors in Syria’s disinformation war: “There are a lot of people involved in disinformation. No single group or outlet is responsible. Countries play a negative role, Turkey pushes one narrative, Iran another because they don’t want the truth to be told.”
Mr Alahmad also pointed out how sectarian agendas are being deliberately promoted: “For example, accounts close to Hezbollah and Iran have framed the conflict as a Sunni-Alawite war. This misinformation will continue to play a role unless independent media steps in.”
He also points to a lack of independence from the current government's media channels and journalists who “who refuse to refer to the recent killings as a massacre but refer to them as ‘security breaches’, downplaying the amount of bloodshed and casualties”.
Zouhir Al Shimale from Verify-Sy observed similar patterns of foreign influence among far-right Christian influencers and Israeli accounts: “We have observed that far-right Christian influencers and Israeli accounts have become notably active in disseminating false narratives about the plight of minorities in Syria. This trend aligns with broader efforts by these groups to influence western perceptions of the Middle East conflicts, positioning themselves as defenders of persecuted minorities. This strategic positioning is often intended to garner political and financial support from western allies, influence foreign policy, and create a favourable image of their interventions or stances in the region's complex sociopolitical landscape.”
The challenge of separating fact from fiction
Despite the flood of disinformation, something Mr Al Assad has historically used as a propaganda tool, credible images and footage from recent massacres continue to emerge, nonetheless requiring careful verification.
As the situation unfolds, distinguishing fact from fiction remains a critical challenge for journalists, for humanitarian organisations and, most crucially, for Syrians navigating safety and security in a changing Syria.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures
October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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FA Cup quarter-final draw
The matches will be played across the weekend of 21 and 22 March
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Newcastle v Manchester City
Norwich v Derby/Manchester United
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Ballon d’Or shortlists
Men
Sadio Mane (Senegal/Liverpool), Sergio Aguero (Aregentina/Manchester City), Frenkie de Jong (Netherlans/Barcelona), Hugo Lloris (France/Tottenham), Dusan Tadic (Serbia/Ajax), Kylian Mbappe (France/PSG), Trent Alexander-Arnold (England/Liverpool), Donny van de Beek (Netherlands/Ajax), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon/Arsenal), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Germany/Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Juventus), Alisson (Brazil/Liverpool), Matthijs de Ligt (Netherlands/Juventus), Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid), Georginio Wijnaldum (Netherlands/Liverpool), Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands/Liverpool), Bernardo Silva (Portugal/Manchester City), Son Heung-min (South Korea/Tottenham), Robert Lewandowski (Poland/Bayern Munich), Roberto Firmino (Brazil/Liverpool), Lionel Messi (Argentina/Barcelona), Riyad Mahrez (Algeria/Manchester City), Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium/Manchester City), Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal/Napoli), Antoine Griezmann (France/Barcelona), Mohamed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool), Eden Hazard (BEL/Real Madrid), Marquinhos (Brazil/Paris-SG), Raheem Sterling (Eengland/Manchester City), Joao Félix(Portugal/Atletico Madrid)
Women
Sam Kerr (Austria/Chelsea), Ellen White (England/Manchester City), Nilla Fischer (Sweden/Linkopings), Amandine Henry (France/Lyon), Lucy Bronze(England/Lyon), Alex Morgan (USA/Orlando Pride), Vivianne Miedema (Netherlands/Arsenal), Dzsenifer Marozsan (Germany/Lyon), Pernille Harder (Denmark/Wolfsburg), Sarah Bouhaddi (France/Lyon), Megan Rapinoe (USA/Reign FC), Lieke Martens (Netherlands/Barcelona), Sari van Veenendal (Netherlands/Atletico Madrid), Wendie Renard (France/Lyon), Rose Lavelle(USA/Washington Spirit), Marta (Brazil/Orlando Pride), Ada Hegerberg (Norway/Lyon), Kosovare Asllani (Sweden/CD Tacon), Sofia Jakobsson (Sweden/CD Tacon), Tobin Heath (USA/Portland Thorns)
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The five pillars of Islam
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
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Available: Now
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Director: Sree Narayan Singh
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Divyenndu Sharma, Yami Gautam
Rating: 2/5
Brief scoreline:
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The specs: 2018 Kia Picanto
Price: From Dh39,500
Engine: 1.2L inline four-cylinder
Transmission: Four-speed auto
Power: 86hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 122Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.0L / 100km
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
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The Ashes
Results
First Test, Brisbane: Australia won by 10 wickets
Second Test, Adelaide: Australia won by 120 runs
Third Test, Perth: Australia won by an innings and 41 runs
Fourth Test: Melbourne: Drawn
Fifth Test: Australia won by an innings and 123 runs
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The five pillars of Islam
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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The years Ramadan fell in May
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Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
JAPAN SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Masaaki Higashiguchi, Shuichi Gonda, Daniel Schmidt
Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo, Tomoaki Makino, Maya Yoshida, Sho Sasaki, Hiroki Sakai, Sei Muroya, Genta Miura, Takehiro Tomiyasu
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Forwards: Yuya Osako, Takuma Asano, Koya Kitagawa
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
- Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
