Pages and accounts on social media circulated a report alleging that gunmen affiliated with the Syrian state had kidnapped Abdullah Karamo al-Tammas from the town of Qamhana in the Hama countryside and executed him on the outskirts of the town.
The fact-checking team contacted a source in the security command of Hama Governorate and found that the ongoing investigations have not yet identified the perpetrator of the crime, that the person responsible for the killing remains unknown, and that there is no evidence proving the involvement of state-affiliated parties. Cross-checking information with local sources also showed that the victim had been a member of the militias loyal to the ousted Assad regime since 2011, and that his name was linked to taking part in arrest operations that targeted a number of civilians in the area.
Why is this claim misleading?
An incorrect connection: The claim preempted the results of the investigations and attributed the crime to gunmen affiliated with the Syrian state without relying on any facts or security statements, in order to stir controversy, inflame rumors, and mislead public opinion.
