Assad’s Moscow ‘Aunt Visit’ Video Debunked: A 2017 Clip of Syrian Soldier Visits Resurfaces Amidst Regime Change Celebrations
Damascus, Syria – In the wake of a monumental shift in Syria’s political landscape, marked by the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime and the formation of a new government, a misleading video resurfaced online, attempting to portray the former president in a different light. The video, widely circulated on social media platforms, purportedly showed Assad visiting his aunt in Moscow, Russia, where he was claimed to have sought refuge. This narrative quickly gained traction, especially amongst those still grappling with the sudden change in power. The video, clocking in at 1 minute and 30 seconds, depicts Assad and his family warmly greeted within a household setting. The accompanying captions and comments sought to paint a picture of a humbled Assad, seeking solace and familial support in exile.
However, a thorough fact-check by NewsMeter has unequivocally debunked this claim. The video, far from being a recent recording from Moscow, dates back to 2017 and captures a completely different event. Using a reverse image search, NewsMeter traced the footage back to the official YouTube channel of the Syrian Presidency. Posted on September 16, 2018, the video’s title clearly identifies the context: "The hero, Ayham Mahmoud Donia, after his injury, received President al-Assad and his family himself, walking on his feet." This initial discovery provided strong evidence of the video’s age and its disconnection from the recent political upheaval in Syria.
Further investigation solidified the true nature of the event. A keyword search uncovered a June 26, 2017, report by Al Yawm Al Saabie, an Egyptian newspaper. This report provided crucial details, identifying the woman in the video not as Assad’s aunt, but as the mother of a wounded Syrian soldier. The report detailed the story of Ayham Mahmoud Donia, a soldier who suffered severe injuries but remarkably regained his ability to walk, a feat he demonstrated by personally greeting Assad during the visit. This heartwarming moment was part of the regime’s "Wounded of the Nation Program," an initiative aimed at supporting soldiers injured in the ongoing conflict.
The misleading narrative surrounding the video gained significant traction, particularly in the context of Syria’s recent political transition. The fall of Assad’s regime and the emergence of a new government, celebrated with widespread jubilation in Damascus’s Umayyad Square on December 20, 2024, created a heightened information environment. In this atmosphere, the resurfaced video, coupled with false claims regarding Assad’s whereabouts and actions, found fertile ground for dissemination.
The rapid spread of the misinformation highlights the challenges posed by digital manipulation and the ease with which misleading narratives can be constructed and disseminated online. The incident underscores the critical role of independent fact-checking organizations in identifying and debunking such falsehoods, especially during times of significant political and social change.
This instance serves as a stark reminder of the importance of media literacy and critical consumption of online information. Verifying information, especially from unverified or questionable sources, is crucial to avoid being misled by fabricated or manipulated content. In a world saturated with information, discerning fact from fiction becomes increasingly vital, particularly when such misinformation can potentially influence public perception and understanding of complex political events. The deceptive use of this 2017 video, presented out of context and with a fabricated narrative, demonstrates the need for vigilance and critical engagement with online content.