Syria's ambassador to the United Nations falsely claimed Tuesday during a Security Council meeting that a photograph he held up showed Syrian government forces helping a woman in Aleppo in an effort to rebut criticism that the regime is attacking civilians in eastern Aleppo.
"All of the actions we have taken in regard [to] Aleppo have had the overarching goal of protecting civilians and preserving life," Bashar al-Jaafari said as he held up a picture of men in military uniforms assisting a woman as she steps down from a truck. One of the soldiers knelt down to provide her a step as two others reached out their hands to help.
"This is a Syrian soldier," Jaafari said. "She is a woman fleeing eastern Aleppo." He added that he "firmly and 100 percent" rejects that government soldiers or forces supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have harmed civilians in Aleppo, where the regime has effectively retaken the city from rebels.
However, the photograph in question is actually from Iraq and shows Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units aiding a woman in Fallujah, BuzzFeed reported. The photo was used during the summer after Iraqi forces pushed the Islamic State out of Fallujah in June.
Jaafari showed the picture to the Security Council following criticism from Samantha Power, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon over reports that pro-Assad forces have been executing civilians and burning them alive in Aleppo, among other atrocities.
Zeid Raad al-Hussein, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, said Wednesday that the Syrian regime's and the continued bombing campaign carried out by the Syrian government over Aleppo, backed by Russia and Iran, may be a "war crime."