False Image of Aerial Attack in Finote Selam
A Facebook page with over 40,000 followers posted an image claiming that the Ethiopian government had recently conducted an aerial attack in Finote Selam, resulting in the deaths of 270 civilians, including children as young as three.
The post went viral on the platform, garnering nearly 30 shares and over 150 reactions at the time.
This claim emerged amidst a security crisis in the Amhara region, prompting the Ethiopian federal government to declare a state of emergency due to armed militia groups gaining control of various areas within the region.
Additionally, clashes between Fano militants and Ethiopian government forces in the Amhara region further exacerbated the situation. Later on, government forces managed to regain control of major cities and towns after initially losing ground to Fano armed militias.
The claim gained traction following reports of a suspected airstrike in Finote Selam that resulted in the deaths of at least 26 people.
HaqCheck conducted a Google reverse image search, revealing that the image had been previously posted on Facebook on July 21, 2023.
Ethiopian Military Tank Destroyed by Fano Militants in Motta
On August 9, 2023, a Facebook page with more than 46,000 followers shared an image alleging that it depicted an Ethiopian military tank destroyed by Fano militia groups during the ongoing armed conflict in the Amhara regional state. The post also claimed that Ethiopian troops and their tanks had been routed in Motta, in the East Gojjam zone of the Amhara region.
Despite the federal government reclaiming major areas of the Amhara region, fighting and armed confrontations between Ethiopian armed forces and Fano militia groups persisted.
Reports indicated that casualties had occurred during these clashes.
In this context, a Facebook post came out sharing an image with a claim that Fano militia groups destroyed Ethiopian army troops including tanks.
HaqCheck investigated the claim and determined that the image did not support the claim.
The original image was previously published on X (Twitter) on August 8, 2022, with a caption stating that the Russian army had destroyed Ukrainian artillery vehicles in a recent battle.
Consequently, HaqCheck rendered the Facebook post as False due to its use of an inaccurate image.
Fano Militia Down Ethiopian Military Helicopter
On August 7, 2023, a Facebook account shared an image claiming to depict an Ethiopian military helicopter brought down by Fano militia groups during the ongoing armed conflict in the Amhara region state.
The post also alleged that the helicopter had attacked and crashed in the Amhara region. This Facebook post gained attention on the platform.
HaqCheck investigated the claim and found that the image did not substantiate the claim.
The original image had been previously published on a website on March 3, 2022, with a caption describing the crash of a Romanian helicopter searching for a fighter jet in the Black Sea.
As a result, HaqCheck rated the Facebook post as False.
Recommendations
HaqCheck urges social media users to exercise caution and be critical when encountering potentially false information across various media platforms. It is essential to verify the source of information before sharing it and ensure that the information originates from a credible source.
The government is advised to provide timely, accurate, and sufficient information to the public and media. This is crucial in preventing the spread of disinformation, as the absence of accessible information can lead to the proliferation of disinformation.
Content creators and media outlets on social media have a responsibility to share accurate information with their followers, refraining from disseminating false information.
