Fake viral video tied to Myanmar group

Staff Reporter :

Fact-checking organisation Rumor Scanner has debunked a viral video falsely claiming that a new armed group in Myanmar is linked to an armed group in Bangladesh.

In its investigation, Rumor Scanner revealed that the video, widely shared on social media, does not depict a Bangladeshi armed group. Instead, it features members of the Arakan National Defense Force (ANDF), an armed group in Myanmar.

A report published on Rumor Scanner’s website on Wednesday stated that the video went viral with captions such as “Usury has made the country a safe haven for militants” and the phrase “Jemon Khushi Temon Sajo” (Dress up as you like).

The video shows individuals with their faces covered, delivering speeches with terms like “Mujahideen” and “Jihad,” which led to claims that it portrayed a Bangladeshi armed group.

However, the investigation confirmed that the video actually originates from Myanmar. The ANDF, a new Muslim armed group, emerged in Arakan State following the Arakan Army’s capture of Maungdaw, a city near the Myanmar-Bangladesh border.

A report by the Myanmar-based Development Media Group (DMG) on December 13, titled “New Muslim Armed Group Emerges in Arakan State,” featured an image similar to the viral video. The report explained that the ANDF was formed to oppose the Arakan Army.

Additionally, another Myanmar-based media outlet, Era’s Eye, published a report on December 14 corroborating this information. The extended version of the video, uploaded on December 11 to the YouTube channel “Rohingya Knowledge World,” identified the group as the ANDF.

This evidence confirms that the viral video does not feature any Bangladeshi armed group, as claimed, but is instead connected to the ANDF in Myanmar.

In a separate investigation, Rumor Scanner also refuted claims about another video, which purportedly depicted a call for militancy during an annual student performance at Jashore Jamia Islamia Madrasa in Bangladesh. Rumor Scanner clarified that the video was misleadingly presented and had no connection to militancy or jihad.