NEW DELHI — CNN is facing criticism after a Syrian fact-checking organization revealed that a man the network helped escape from detention is allegedly a former officer in Bashar al-Assad’s regime, accused of war crimes.
Last week, CNN aired footage of journalist Clarissa Ward and her team facilitating the release of a man identified as Adel Ghurbal, who claimed he had been held for three months by Assad’s forces. Ward described the moment as “one of the most extraordinary” in her reporting career.
CNN later routed the rescue mission as a humanitarian event captured on film by Ward, heaping her with praise. It turns out, the man she rescued from prison should have probably stayed there.
However, Verify-Sy, a Syrian fact-checking group, reported discrepancies in the man’s identity, identifying him instead as Salama Mohammad Salama, also known as “Abu Hamza.” The organization alleges Salama is a former first lieutenant in Assad’s air force intelligence, accused of torturing, extorting, and killing civilians during the Syrian civil war.
In response to the revelations, CNN acknowledged the claims and said it is reassessing the story. “We have subsequently been investigating his background and are aware that he may have given a false identity. We are continuing our reporting into this and the wider story,” the network stated.
CNN also dismissed the allegations that the entire event was staged.
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“No one other than the CNN team was aware of our plans to visit the prison building featured in our report that day. The events transpired as they appear in our film,” CNN said.
The controversy highlights the challenges journalists face in navigating Syria’s complex conflict, where misinformation and shifting allegiances are common.