By Khalaf Ma’o/Hoshang Hassan
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Syrian opposition platforms broadcast a video showing a person wearing a protective vest typically used by journalists during wartime, assaulting civilian captives alongside militants of the Turkish-backed armed opposition factions, aka the Syrian National Army (SNA), in the town of Tel Rifaat in Aleppo northern countryside, northwestern Syria.
In another video, verified by North Press, an armed individual states they are inside a hospital in Tel Rifaat. Locals from the area said the captives were medics inside the hospital, but their fate remains unknown.
A Lens and a Shoe
North Press verified the identity of the journalist accompanying the SNA factions and participating in the assault on the civilian captives by consulting three investigative journalists working in Aleppo.
A female investigative journalist in Aleppo revealed to North Press that the assailant originates from Tel Rifaat.
In the video, one of the armed individuals says, “Abu Musab is hitting them,” referring to the journalist, while both exchange smiles.
A Syrian journalist in the Aleppo countryside, who preferred to remain anonymous, told North Press that the individual seen in the video wearing a media vest and participating in the assault “is a journalist with connections to Syrian National Army factions.”
Farouq al-Hayani (a pseudonym), a human rights activist in Aleppo, said he had met the individual several times. He identified him as Abdurrahman, also known as “al-Halabi.”
The activist added that Abdurrahman is originally from Tel Rifaat and had been residing in the “Sijo” camp in the north of Aleppo near the Syrian-Turkish border for the past few years.
The activist noted that Abdurrahman works as a photojournalist for an opposition media agency and occasionally collaborates with an opposition TV channel.
Deletion
North Press investigated Abdurrahman’s social media accounts before reaching out to him and confirmed that the individual in the video, who goes by the full name Abdurrahman Barbori, is indeed the same person.
Abdurrahman shared updates on his account about the military offensive on Aleppo, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, once known as al-Nusra Front) and SNA factions. He also posted incitement content, including a public call against the government forces’ prisoners held by the factions during the recent Aleppo offensive. He later deleted the posts after being contacted by North Press.
North Press contacted Abdurrahman via WhatsApp, who used a Turkish-registered number, and asked if he participated in the video showing the assault on civilian captives alongside SNA factions. He confirmed his identity as the journalist and stated that he currently resides in Aleppo. Upon receiving the video, he demanded it not be shared and insisted it be deleted immediately, threatening legal action against anyone who shares it.
When asked why he deleted the video, he responded, “Such mistakes should not be publicized under the name of the operation,” but did not answer the direct question about his involvement.
Justifying the assault, he added in his local dialect, “It is a battle, and mistakes happen, but such videos should not be shared.”
The next day, North Press followed up with additional questions. Although Abdurrahman read the messages, he did not respond or deny his involvement in the assault by the end of the conversation.
Journalistic standards
Journalist Abbas Moussa told North Press, “Regardless of the identity of the assailant, as a journalist, they are subject to media ethics, whether they are civilian or military.”
International standards for military journalists require neutrality in coverage, respect for human rights, refraining from harming any party, and avoiding actions that endanger themselves or others.