DISINFO: Terrorists "White Helmets" are preparing a staged chemical attack
SUMMARY
The terrorists, accompanied by representatives of the pseudo-humanitarian organisation "White Helmets", delivered four containers with toxic substances, presumably with chlorine, to the area of the city of Arikha by truck. Militants are preparing a staged chemical attack in the province of Idlib to accuse Damascus of using poisonous substances against civilians.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the White Helmets implicitly, denying the responsibility of the Assad regime for chemical attacks perpetrated during the Syrian civil war. No evidence is given to support the allegation.
The claim is made without evidence and follows an established pattern of unsubstantiated accusations regarding the White Helmets' complicity in chemical attacks in Syria. Available evidence on such attacks has yet to link a single incident to any other party than the Assad regime.
The Russian Centre for Syria Reconciliation periodically announces, without providing evidence in this regard, that it has evidence of the preparation of a chemical false flag attack in Idlib by the White Helmets.
The White Helmets are the subject of recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives on the Syrian civil war, having already been accused of numerous other provocations and war crimes including organ trafficking; aiding terrorist organisations; staging and/or perpetrating chemical attacks, sometimes with the help of Western intelligence agencies. For more information about the use of the White Helmets in pro-Kremlin disinformation regarding the Syrian war, see here, here, and here.
A majority of such claims are unsubstantiated by evidence and often rely on meaningless formulations such as "according to information provided by X," "there are reasons to assume," and so forth. See here for our analysis of how the Kremlin uses conspiracy theories to whitewash Assad's record of chemical warfare.