Syria revokes BBC’s media accreditation and accuses the British broadcaster of spreading ‘fake news’

By KAREEM CHEHAYEB
Associated Press

BEIRUT (AP) — Syria’s Information Ministry has canceled the BBC’s media accreditation, accusing the British public broadcaster of biased and fake news in its coverage of the war-torn country. The ministry late Saturday said the decision was made after “warning the channel more than once that it has broadcasted its misleading reports relying on statements and testimonies from terrorist entities and those hostile to Syria.” The announcement came days after BBC Arabic released an investigative documentary about the illicit drug trade in Syria, pinpointing links between the blossoming of Captagon pills and associates of President Bashar Assad. “We will continue to provide impartial news and information to our audiences across the Arabic-speaking world,” the BBC said in a statement.