Video claiming execution of Indian and Israeli spies in Iran actually shows ISIS arrests in Syria
A video claiming that Indian and Israeli spies detained in Iran have been executed has been circulating on social media. However, a fact-check by Dismislab found that the video actually shows the arrest of dozens of ISIS members in northeastern Syria.
The video, titled “Execution of Indian and Israeli Spies Detained in Iran,” shows several people blindfolded and bound near a wall. A large cache of seized weapons is visible in front of them. On one side, three flags — green, blue, and yellow — can be seen.
The video has been viewed more than 250,000 times and shared nearly 3,500 times. One user commented, “Bangladesh should also find Indian spies like this.” Another wrote, “Bangladesh should, like Iran, find and punish Israeli and Indian agents — even if not through legal process — in love and respect for the rule of law.”
A reverse image search of keyframes from the video led to a Facebook post by Channel 8, which shows an identical video report. The search also found several related reports (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) published by other media outlets.
According to the caption on Channel Eight’s post [hyperlink], the video shows an operation in the Hasakah region where the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Internal Security Forces (Asayish), and Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) jointly arrested 51 armed ISIS members. Reports say the 14-hour “People’s Permanent Security Operation” took place in Hasakah, part of Rojava — the self-declared autonomous administration in northeastern Syria.
Citing the SDF, Iraq’s Kurdistan-based Rudaw Media Network reported that 3,000 fighters took part in the operation, which resulted in the arrest of 51 ISIS members. During the raid, forces seized 50 Kalashnikov rifles, 155 magazines, 16 pistols, one BKC type machine gun, grenades, and a large amount of ammunition. These are the same weapons and ammunition visible in the verified video.
The three flags seen in the footage represent the forces involved in the operation. The green flag with a red star on the left belongs to the Women’s Protection Units. The light blue flag in the middle belongs to the Internal Security Forces, and the yellow flag on the right represents the Syrian Democratic Forces.
In short, the video shows the arrest of 51 ISIS members in Hasakah during a joint operation by three Syrian forces. It has no connection to the alleged execution of Indian and Israeli spies in Iran.
Earlier this year, following a direct conflict with Israel, Iran’s accusations of aiding Mossad-related espionage surged. Around that time, claims spread online that 73 Indians had been arrested in Iran. A fact-check found no official statements or credible reports identifying any of those detainees as Indian citizens.
After the 12-day Iran-Israel conflict, Iran executed at least 10 people accused of spying for Mossad. However, it remains unclear whether any of them were Indian nationals.
Disclaimer: The original version of this fact-check report was published in Bengali on Dismislab’s Bengali website on November 4, 2025. The English translation was completed later; however, to maintain time accuracy and avoid any potential misinterpretation, the English version has been published with the original publication date.
