DISINFO: White Helmets hide abuse and extortion behind a humanitarian brand
SUMMARY
“White Helmets” hides looting, extortion, robbery, willful misinformation, organised chemical attacks, airstrikes, artillery, and direct collusion with terrorism behind the appearance of a humanitarian brand. Western intelligence services support the White Helmets to launch a media war against Syria. White Helmets is a component of a media campaign to discredit the Syrian authorities, and in particular, blaming them for the provocation that gave the West a reason to accuse Damascus of using chemical weapons and hitting targets of government forces.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin narratives portraying the White Helmets as a Western-backed terrorist proxy and, implicitly, denying 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. Read previous disinformation claims alleging that evidence confirms chemical attacks in Syria were falsified by the White Helmets, and that the chemical attacks in Syria have been staged and filmed by the media of the Western countries.