Kashaf tracked the digital and on-the-ground developments accompanying events in the town of Tal Menin in the Damascus countryside, documenting how field realities migrated onto social media platforms and the trajectory of the disinformation that accompanied them and widened the scope of tension — beginning with local service demands over the wells and water file, and ending in conflicting narratives that reshaped the event in the eyes of platform audiences.
The first spark and the background to the protests
Tensions began after posts circulated about work to drill a new well in the town, coinciding with protests and rising tension among residents, after which security forces intervened to manage the situation on the ground. This convergence between the digital post and the field mobilisation formed the starting point on which a series of divergent narratives about the nature and causes of the event was later built.
The first claims and the authorities' denial
Claims spread across social media that work had begun on drilling new wells, including a published assertion that read: "Protests and road closures in the town of Tal Menin in the Damascus countryside over residents' objection to drilling a water well for the General Water Corporation, which will weaken or dry up the town's wells." In response, the General Company for Drinking Water and Sanitation in Damascus and its countryside issued a statement denying any new well-drilling work, clarifying that the works carried out were limited to routine maintenance and the cleaning of its existing wells to ensure continuity of service.
The path of rumours and inaccurate figures
The crisis saw the early accounts drift towards an inflammatory character, with the team documenting the publication of inaccurate figures and information that deepened the crisis. Among these was the spread of claims that people had been killed and wounded by security forces' gunfire — denied by the region's media official, who confirmed no deaths or injuries had occurred and stated that the protests took place without any new well-drilling work.
The team also documented the circulation of video recordings and old images falsely attributed to events in the town, including clips promoted under inflammatory headlines against government policies and living conditions — while verification showed the protests' background was tied exclusively to the wells and water file.
The impact on the ground and on residents' services
The escalating tension and circulating rumours led to the suspension of maintenance work on the wells, after machinery and working crews were attacked while carrying out their tasks — which directly affected the continuity of the water service provided to local residents in the town. The effect of digital disinformation thus shifted from a contest over narratives to tangible harm to the very residents on whose behalf the protests had begun.
Platform exploitation and the shaping of narratives
Digital platforms contributed to amplifying the circulating narratives and exploiting local events to promote differing agendas and framings, deepening division over the details of the event. The analytical conclusion of the Tal Menin events underscores the importance of separating field realities from digital claims, and the necessity of verifying against official sources to prevent the spread of disinformation during crises.
