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How fake news works in #IRAQ:
1/Al Arabiya's @AlHadath channel flashes citing 'security sources' that air strikes target Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah militias in an area south of Baghdad (an unprecedented act that could cause a war)
1/Al Arabiya's @AlHadath channel flashes citing 'security sources' that air strikes target Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah militias in an area south of Baghdad (an unprecedented act that could cause a war)
2/An social media account purporting to belong to the PMF issues somewhat conflicting reports about bodies of militiamen being dragged out and several killed
3/Various other channels begin reporting the news without clear attribution. Credible international news outlets scramble to try to confirm it while websites begin picking the news up, as fact
4/Militia commanders in the area tell us there is absolutely no such incident
5/Iraqi military issues statements denying any of this has happened, and that there were explosions on power pylons which had been sabotaged by Daesh militants
END/Would always question the accuracy of at least parts of any of these versions (which is our job), but some are clearly more agenda-driven and less well attributed than others.
