Online users hijack Assad’s #SummerinSyria campaign

A social media campaign launched by the Syrian regime asking citizens to share their summer snaps has been hijacked by online users, who responded by displaying pictures of the destruction caused by years of civil war.

The campaign, called #SummerInSyria, first started when the country’s state news agency posted a message asking citizens to share pictures of their summer on social media.

“Now that #summer is upon us, snap us your moments of summer in #Syria using the hashtag #SummerInSyria,” SANA wrote on its English website.

Syrian social media users were quick to react with sarcastic tweets and images of the Syrian civil war.

“Just having some tea enjoying the view from my balcony,” one user wrote, attaching a picture of the city of Homs turned to rubble.

Another user said: “Now its #SummerInSyria your master #Assad welcomed it couple of days in Talbisa #Homs with #BarrelBombs @SANA_English.”

The U.S. Embassy in Syria also weighed in on the campaign, tweeting: “Blatant Lies + Continued Massacres = #SummerInSyria.”

Over 220,000 people have been killed in Syria's civil war, which began when protests inspired by the Arab Spring uprisings erupted in March 2011 and were repressed by security forces.