The Manila Times

Fake news seen from US funding of White Helmets

- JEFFERSON ANTIPORDA

FAKE reports on the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government against civilians and other fabricated lies are expected to proliferat­e further following the decision of the United States ( US) to restore funding of the so called so- called humanitari­an organizati­on, White Helmets.

This was according to Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry Spokespers­on Maria Zakharova amid reports that President Donald Trump has authorized the release of $ 6.6 million in funding to the White Helmets or the Syrian Civil Defense.

“A decision has been taken to restore funding for White Helmets. Since I have to use polite language, I would say that this organizati­on is rotten through and through, although I would have preferred some stronger Russian words for it,” said Zakharova.

US had temporaril­y stopped funding for the controvers­ial organizati­on sometime in April pending review of its support to the group.

“Now the order to produce fake videos and stage sham campaigns is backed with money and a multi- million tranche was allocated to this effect,” she added.

According to Zakharova the White Helmets were the very people who undermined trust not only in themselves but also in humanitari­an non- government­al organizati­ons operating in the region.

She noted that instead of providing funds in what Syria actually needs, such as restoring civilian infrastruc­ture, clean water supply, healthcare, schools, roads and transport, the US choose to allocate funds to the people who create and take part in provocatio­ns.

The Russian foreign ministry spokespers­on added that the White Helmets clearly serve as a tool of informatio­n and propaganda warfare and a platform for supporting Jabhat al- Nusra, terrorist organizati­on and affiliated extremist groups such as Harakat Nour al- Din al- Zenki.

It was also used as a propaganda tool to gain the internatio­nal public’s sympathy using staged humanitari­an missions and rescue to justify attacks in Syria.

“After the latest fake videos the entire world knows that Syrians are ready to act in staged, scripted and made- to- order clips for a bowl of food, for admittance to a safe shelter during shelling or an attack by the militants, for getting treatment for their children,” he noted.

She said that following the restoratio­n of funding to the White Helmets, they expect that new fake reports on the use of chemical weapons and other type of provocatio­n would further proliferat­e with the help of the group.

“We get signals that provocatio­ns of this kind are in the making. If we get reliable informatio­n, we will try to spread the word before it happens in order to prevent provocatio­ns,” she added.

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