A person attacked by Wahabis in Ethiopia
HaqCheck came across a Facebook post sharing a picture with a claim that a person shown in the image was attacked by Wahabis in Ethiopia. It also claimed that Wahabis attacked and killed Sufis and Muslims who followed other Islamic sects.
Wahhabi is an adherent of the Islamic reform movement (Wahhabism) founded by Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab in the 18th century in Najd, Saudi Arabia. The adherents of Wahhabism usually call themselves Salafis.
HaqCheck investigated the image to determine the authenticity of the claim. However, the image was taken from an old publication and has no connection with the claim.
The image was first published on a website called Ketto, an online fundraising platform to support health treatment a year ago. The original image allegedly shows a 22 years old adult who had an accident.
Thus, the Facebook claim was rated False.
Altered image of Pastor Binyam Shitaye
An altered image was shared on TikTok claiming that Pastor Binyam Shitaye was seen praying with Muslims. The image shows a man wearing Jalabiya and a Muslim skullcap sitting among other prayers.
Pastor Binyam Shitaye was arrested in February this year in relation to the controversy within the Ethiopian Orthodox Tehahedo Church. The pastor, who is a Protestant and who was supporting the unity of the Orthodox Church, was then released on a 5000 Birr bail.
However, the image was altered. The original picture shows Ustaz Abubeker Ahmed, a known Muslim teacher, and activist who previously was arrested by the Ethiopian government.
The Ethiopian government carried out aerial bombardment in Amhara
An image was shared on Facebook showing the dead bodies of cattle with a claim that the animals were burned and dead due to an air strike the Ethiopian government recently carried out in Amhara regional state.
HaqCheck cross-checked the image and confirmed that the picture doesn’t support the claim.
The image was previously published on Facebook with a description that a fire accident in Gamo zone, southwestern Ethiopia caused damage to animals and property.
Ethiopian army routed in the Amhara region
An image emerged on Twitter supporting a viral claim that the Ethiopian army was being confronted by rebel armed groups in the Amhara regional state and forced to retreat disorderly.
The claim came amid an alleged conflict in the regional state between government armed forces and armed militia groups.
However, the image was old and was taken from a publication made three years ago. The original image shows Ethiopian army soldiers being deployed to battlefronts during the war between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
Recommendations
HaqCheck recommends social media users be skeptical of potentially false and misleading posts. They should seek to confirm the authenticity of social media content before reacting and sharing it with others.
Public offices and other institutions are urged to offer the public and the media timely briefings and updates.
The right to access information should be guaranteed. Lack of sufficing information greatly prompts the circulation of false information.
We advise social media content creators to be responsible and avoid being collaborators in disinformation dissemination.
