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Observatory Report Reveals Public Opinion Manipulation Attempts About the Coastal Situation
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Cyber warfare and electronic disinformation pose a major challenge to international efforts to document facts and hold those responsible for violations in the Syrian coast accountable

A well-informed source at the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights revealed the involvement of cyber security groups based in an Arab country in attempts to distort information related to events in the Syrian coast, through launching systematic campaigns to obstruct international reactions and obscure documented evidence.
According to sources, these groups relied on elaborate plans that included fact distortion and electronic attacks, in direct coordination with authorities in Syria.
One of the cyber teams launched a large-scale campaign across social media platforms, broadcasting millions of misleading tweets and posts, using various methods, including confusing the media landscape by publishing conflicting narratives about who was responsible for the events, which confused global media outlets and hindered identifying those involved.
The campaigns also included organized targeting of accounts that publish documents and testimonies documenting the facts, through hacks and threats that widely affected the Observatory and its director, Rami Abdulrahman, in addition to inflaming sectarian tensions to divert attention from the core events toward side conflicts.
These operations were not merely an individual initiative, as the source revealed close cooperation between these groups and the authorities in Damascus, which provided them with logistical support and significant funding, making electronic disinformation a parallel media arm to its propaganda machine. This alliance enabled the distortion of facts in the digital space, just as occurs in traditional media.
The cyber campaigns achieved their results in an alarming manner, as the international response slowed down due to doubting the credibility of narratives about the events, and distorting the digital archive by mixing real evidence with fake ones, which hindered documentation and accountability efforts.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confronted these campaigns through accurate documentation of the facts, recording numerous cases against civilians on March 7, alongside collecting videos and recordings showing the involvement of elements in events that occurred in coastal cities, such as Baniyas and rural Latakia.
Additionally, the Observatory communicated directly with affected families and published their testimonies through international media platforms, which helped expose misleading narratives and reveal the facts, and helped prevent more unfortunate events.
The Observatory appealed to the international community and Syrian authorities to conduct an independent international investigation with the involvement of experts and specialists, to exclude the current investigation committee that includes members who denied or justified previous incidents, and to hold those responsible accountable, before impunity turns into a signal encouraging more violations.
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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