TIT FOR TAT

Syria Revokes BBC Credentials After Story Links Drug to Assad

The government called the British news service fake news following the story.

Syria revoked the BBC’s media accreditation on Saturday, it said in a statement, after the British news organization released a documentary highlighting ties between the country’s illegal drug trade and relatives of President Bashar al-Assad. Syria’s Information Ministry said the BBC “has broadcasted its misleading reports relying on statements and testimonies from terrorist entities and those hostile to Syria,” calling it fake news. The documentary focused on the amphetamine Captagon, an addictive drug that has seen usage among the Syrian army and within neighboring countries. “We speak to people across the political spectrum to establish the facts,” the BBC told the Associated Press. “We will continue to provide impartial news and information to our audiences across the Arabic-speaking world.”