On Saturday, the English-language Twitter account for the state-owned Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) tweeted a picture of a summer club event in regime-controlled west Aleppo.
#Aleppo, now dubbed as the "World's Most Dangerous City", still boasts a thriving nightlife, as shown in one of this summer's events #Syria pic.twitter.com/kFUDtGvHME
— SANA English (@SANA_English) September 24, 2016
The video shows young people dancing to house music, and is a stark contrast from the images of east Aleppo currently all over the web, which show death and destruction as regime and Russian jets pound the area in an effort to the take the rebel-held area.
It’s perhaps this contrast that compelled many tweeters to attack SANA for the tweet.
#Assad’s message to tourists: Come back, enjoy the nightlife in #Aleppo while #Syria regime bomb the rebel-held districts to the stone age https://t.co/bkQi5QDjSZ
— SaadAbedine (@SaadAbedine) September 24, 2016
Nightlife in #Aleppo!!Where is the cease fire goes then , when children were killed everyday by Assad & Putin , seems ppl are enjoying!! https://t.co/qahEhIADBt
— TIGER™ (@CommandoisBack) September 25, 2016
Not everyone was upset with SANA, however.
Aleppo nightlife. Some people are upset about it because these Aleppians apparently aren't suffering as much as they should. https://t.co/prv59pUp0C
— Ilona Chmoun (@IlonaChmoun) September 24, 2016
West Aleppo is known to be better off than the east, which is presently facing intense bombings that have left dozens killed already this week, but there are problems there as well. Residents note water and electricity shortages, death and injury due to shelling from rebel groups and other issues.
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