Salaf Fawakherji’s photo with Maher al-Assad ignites social media The image proves to be fabricated, and Salaf Fawakherji ignores it

A new photo of the Syrian actress Salaf Fawakherji sparked widespread controversy on social media, quickly trending as audiences questioned its authenticity and source.

The circulated photo shows her alongside Maher al-Assad, brother of the former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, where Salaf appears seated near him in a scene that fueled speculation about the nature of their relationship, while comments and criticisms poured in.

Upon verification, it was found that the part showing Maher al-Assad in military uniform was taken from an old image captured in June 2017 during his reception of Syrian actor Mustafa Al-Khani, known for the character “Al-Nims” in the series Bab Al-Hara.

As for Salaf’s image, it was actually taken during her visit to Hurghada, Egypt, in 2023, confirming that the circulated photo is digitally manipulated using Photoshop or artificial intelligence, with clear signs of digital alteration, which upset her fans.

Despite the wide circulation of the image, Salaf Fawakherji ignored all negative comments, asserting that the insults do not affect her personally, and they merely reflect the mindset of their authors, and will not harm her in any way.