A photo of a collapsing minaret-like structure with billowing smoke and fire around it is being circulated widely on social media. Users are sharing the image and jokingly commenting that a mosque in Pakistan was launched into space with the help of the Taliban. Twitter user Janvi Singh shared the photo with the message. (Archive link)

Facebook user Ashok Tiwari posted the image in a group called ‘‘योगी है तो यकीन है!’ (Yogi hai toh yakin hai).

The image is widespread on Facebook and Twitter.

Fact-check

Using a simple reverse image search, Alt News came across an article by Iraq News dated July 6, 2014 which covered an attack conducted by terrorist outfit ISIS in the Iraqi city of Mosul. Along with the viral image, the outlet carried other visuals depicting the aftermath of the attack.

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An article by The Independent dated July 14, 2014 also ran the photo as the Al Quba Hussainia Mosque. According to the caption, this mosque in Mosul was blown up with explosives. This image has been attributed to the Associated Press (AP) in the article. A video of the mosque being destroyed was also shared in a story by Daily Mail.

To sum it up, an old image of the Al Quba Hussainia Mosque was shared with the claim that a mosque was demolished by the Taliban in Pakistan.

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About the Author

Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization.
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