minorities

Captivity in the Age of Disinformation: Propaganda Disguised as Victimhood

The sudden reappearance of Mira Jalal Thabat, after several days of being missing, brought the term "captivity" back to the center of public discourse in Syria. Her return, marked by a tense demeanor and unfamiliar religious attire, set the stage for a flood of conflicting claims across social media. The absence of her own personal account in the early hours of her reappearance allowed the narrative to spiral out of control, turning her story into more than just an individual tragedy. It became a symbolic tool, injected into a polarized social climate, invoking the history of extremist groups to fuel fear and division.