CNN faces backlash over 'staged' Syrian prisoner rescue report

A recent CNN report detailing the rescue of a Syrian prisoner has come under fire after the individual was revealed to be a former intelligence officer in the Bashar al-Assad regime.

The network's coverage, which aired on Thursday, showed journalist Clarissa Ward and her team discovering a "hidden prisoner" in a Damascus prison, reports Al Jazeera.

The man, who initially identified himself as Adel Gharbal from Homs, claimed to be a civilian detained without cause.

However, Syrian fact-checking platform Verify Sy later exposed the prisoner's true identity as Salama Mohammad Salama, a former intelligence officer. CNN's subsequent investigation confirmed this revelation.

While Salama told CNN he was detained for three months, local residents reported a much shorter imprisonment period related to extortion charges.

Ward said in her report that she and her team were at the prison initially searching for US journalist Austin Tice, who went missing in 2012 when he was abducted in Damascus while on a reporting tour to cover the uprising against al-Assad.

A community note shared under Ward's post on X, where she called it "one of the most extraordinary moments" of her career, now reads: "His real name is Salama Mohammad Salama. Salama, known as "Abu Hamza," is a first lieutenant in Syrian Air Force Intelligence, notorious for his activities in Homs. Residents identified him as frequently stationed at a checkpoint in the area's western entrance."

After the release of the report, users on social media began questioning CNN's coverage, some even accusing the US outlet of staging the whole incident.

One user highlighted Salama's "perfectly manicured nails", "clean clothes" and overall well-groomed look, casting doubts about the truth behind the network's widely shared video.

Since Monday's clarification, many have demanded CNN apologise for its original reporting.

"This is a totally shambolic event for CNN," one user posted on X.

Another user accused the US outlet of "backtracking", putting the blame squarely on Salama, and "absolving itself of any wrongdoing".

CNN said it was unaware of Salama's whereabouts and had been unable to make contact with him.