SANA, the Syrian government news agency, which is also the government publishing house, has accused Qataris of making models of Syrian cities in order to create fake videos "aimed at misleading the public opinion about what is going on in Syria."

The report published on Thursday on SANA’s website, which is now available for unknown reasons, quotes "special sources" who assert that a security company in Qatar "specialised in manufacturing models" has started fabricating replica of "official buildings and squares in Damascus, Aleppo and Lattakia" in al-Zoubareh, a region near Doha, the capital city of the state of Qatar.

The article continues "The sources quoted eye witnesses as saying that the company started gathering people to make them wear special customs [sic] to represent military personnel and photographers as if from the Syrian TV channels and prepared public, private and military cars with fake Syrian registration plates to film fake videos and fabricated photos about the situation in Syria."

These new allegations come a day after a bomb targeting the National Security building in Damascus killed three leaders of the regime including the deputy defence minister, Assef Shawkat, the defence minister, Dawoud Rajha, and the military committee leader, Hassan Turkmani.

Earlier on Thursday the State Television warned Syrian people that gunmen were planning to attack neighbourhoods in central Damascus.

“Armed men in Tadamon, Midan, Qaa and Nahr Aisha are wearing military uniforms with the insignia of the Republican Guard. This confirms they are planning to commit crimes and attack people, exploiting the trust of citizens in our courageous armed forces," Reuters quoted the State TV as saying.