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DISINFO: Germany is funding terrorism in Syria 

DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS

Tags:

White Helmets Terrorism financing Propaganda Terrorism Syrian War

DISINFO: Germany is funding terrorism in Syria 

SUMMARY

Part of the monetary support, provided by the Federal Foreign Office of Germany to the “White Helmets” organisation in Syria, could be used to support terrorist groups in the country

The German funding of the organisation remains unclear, as it is difficult to differentiate between spending on humanitarian missions and helping terrorists.

RESPONSE

Baseless accusations and recurrent disinformation narrative targeting the humanitarian White Helmets organisation.

No evidence is given to prove that the groups have any terrorism link, and this pro-Kremlin narrative is mostly used in order to obfuscate the responsibility of the Assad regime for chemical attacks perpetrated during the Syrian civil war.

The "White Helmets" movement originated in Syria in 2012. Volunteers save people from the rubble after bombings, despite the danger of dying themselves as a result of repeated airstrikes. Activists have documented the use of chemical weapons in Syria, later confirmed by OPCW. Because of this, they have become the target of an extensive Russian disinformation campaign.

The German Foreign Office announced that it allocated monetary aid for the “White Helmets”, through its implementing partner Chemonics International, to provide assistance in order to:

“deliver life-saving emergency response and community services, including heavy equipment, emergency response vehicles, core funding for stipends and operational costs, capacity building”.

Read previous disinformation claims alleging that evidence confirms chemical attacks in Syria were falsified by the White Helmets, and that nobody talks about the White Helmets anymore, because now everyone knows they faked everything, or that the “White Helmets” founder deceived the West, or that they embezzle 1/3 of their funds or even aiding terrorism.

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

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