Russian
state media channels, in a near simultaneous blitz of information, have issued
breaking alerts this morning that anti-Assad terrorists in Idlib have begun filming "fake footage of chemical attacks" based on
Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) statements.
The Russian Center for Syrian Reconciliation says the "fake footage of
chemical attacks" is expected to be delivered to various TV channels and
Western journalists before the end of the day Tuesday.
Russia's Sputnik News indicates based on official Moscow sources: According
to the information received from inhabitants of Idlib province,terrorists
are now filming a staged provocation in the city of Jisr al-Shugur,
where "chemical weapons" are depicted as being used by the
Syrian army against civilians. The film crews of several Middle Eastern TV channels arrived
in Jisr al-Shugur in the morning, as well as the regional
affiliate of one of the main American television news networks",
the Reconciliation Center said.
Jisr al-Shugur is a key al-Qaeda held town in Idlib Province,
specifically under the control of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly
Nusrah Front, or al-Qaeda). There have been international journalists inside Jisr
al-Shugur over the past weeks.
Official Russian
military sources also say two containers of a chlorine-based toxic
substance have been brought to Jisr al-Shugur; however, the sources did
not cite any specific intelligence or provide evidence to back the claim.
The
Russian MoD described, per Sputnik: The plot
envisages staged scenes showing 'activists' of the Civil Defence
("White Helmets") 'helping' the residents of Jisr al-Shughur
after the Syrian army allegedly used the so-called barrel bombs
with poisonous substances," the center said.
Meanwhile
Russian channel RT also featured the charges in breaking news, describing:
Several Middle East TV channels
and a local branch of a leading US news channel have been sent to the city
of Jisr al-Shughur in Syria’s Idlib governorate to produce the footage needed
for the provocation.
This
comes the same morning as a new Wall
Street Journal report confirms that the White House is now in direct talks with the U.K. and France over
plans for a possible third round of coordinated strikes on Syria should
the Syrian Army use chemical weapons during its Idlib assault.
Speaking
to reporters after a major speech on Monday, US national security advisor John Bolton, a neocon and war monger slammed
Moscow's allegations of an impending staged "chemical provocation," saying “That
has to be, in the history of propaganda in the 20th and 21st centuries, one of
the most outrageous claims that I can think of,” according to the WSJ.
Meanwhile
in Idlib, some truly strange theatrics have
already begun, with Al Jazeera depicting
locals preparing paper cups, bags and cotton, which are somehow supposed to
serve as "chemical protective" gear. Reuters has
also promoted some of the images of residents with plastic bags over their
heads in recent coverage.
The Al Jazeera (AJ+)
report aired late last week, and ranks as one of the more
bizarre propaganda stunts we've seen from the
Qatar-based channel.
For starters,
nerve agents are absorbed through the skin, and quite obviously a little cotton
and charcoal can do nothing to protect from a real gas attack.
The Al Jazeera filmed
stunt seems to point to — at least on
an anecdotal level — early
conscious attempts by the armed groups controlling Idlib to stage exaggerated
theatrics, and further points to international media's willingness to promote
such stunts with no critical review whatsoever.
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