Assad news agency removes report of Damascus air attack

The Assad-run news agency (SANA) issued a report on Sunday saying Assad air defences had intercepted enemy targets around Damascus international airport, but later in the day said the attack had not happened.

“Our air defences intercepted enemy aerial targets in the vicinity of Damascus international airport in southern Damascus,” SANA said in its initial report.

The agency later removed the report from its website. Later still, it quoted a source at the Damascus international airport as saying “there was no attack on the airport and the air traffic is normal”.

The Assad regime intelligence tightly controls the TV channels and news agencies. News bulletins and reports come from the Assad intelligence services to echo the Assad policies.