This video has circulated since 2020 in posts about a graduation ceremony in Ethiopia
- This article is more than one year old.
- Published on September 16, 2021 at 11:21
- Updated on September 16, 2021 at 11:31
- 3 min read
- By Wasi MIRZA, AFP Pakistan
Copyright © AFP 2017-2024. Any commercial use of this content requires a subscription. Click here to find out more.
The video was posted here on Twitter on September 12, 2021. It has been viewed more than 2,000 times.
The post's caption reads: "Indian SSG commandos are ready to fight with #Taliban".
The video shows soldiers wearing white vests and military fatigues. One soldier is set on fire after attempting to jump through a flaming hoop. His colleagues then gather around him to extinguish the flames.
The video circulated online after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan. Historically, the Taliban has seen India as a proxy of its archrival Pakistan. Qatar-based news network Al Jazeera reported here.
The video has been shared alongside a similar claim on Twitter here and here; and on Facebook here, here, here and here.
The claim, however, is false.
The video has circulated online since March 2020 in posts about a graduation ceremony for soldiers in Ethiopia.
A reverse image search found the same footage was published on YouTube here on March 11, 2020.
The video's caption reads: "A special commando from the Oromia special force caught on fire while showing his skill on his graduation day in Ethiopia".
Further keyword searches found a corresponding video of a graduation ceremony posted by Ethiopian government broadcaster Oromia Broadcasting Network (OBN) on March 9, 2020.
The video's Afan Oromo-language caption reads: "Commando show on the 30th Oromia police graduation ceremony".
It shows soldiers wearing the same outfits. It also features the Ethiopian flag and a flag of Ethiopia's Oromia region.
Below are screenshot comparisons of scenes in the video in the misleading posts (L) and the OBN video (R) with similar features highlighted by AFP:
Local media outlet Addis Standard tweeted about the same graduation ceremony here on March 9, 2020.
"#Ethiopia: #Oromia regional state graduated several hundred regional Special Forces who took training in #Bulbula Police Training Academy. Yesterday's graduation was attended by regional President @ShimelisAbdisa as well as Oromia Police College Chief, Commander Getachew Itana," reads the tweet.
Is there content that you would like AFP to fact-check? Get in touch.
Contact us
