Editing Robert Fisk (section)

===Syrian Civil War===
Reporting from [[Douma, Syria|Douma]], in April 2018 on the [[Douma chemical attack]], Fisk quoted a Syrian doctor who attributed the victims' breathing problems not to gas but to dust and lack of oxygen after heavy shelling by government forces. Other people he spoke to doubted a gas attack, and Fisk queried the incident.<ref>{{cite news|last=Fisk|first=Robert|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/syria-chemical-attack-gas-douma-robert-fisk-ghouta-damascus-a8307726.html|title=The search for truth in the rubble of Douma – and one doctor's doubts over the chemical attack|work=The Independent|date=1 January 2020|access-date=2 January 2020}}</ref> Fisk's reporting drew criticism for having relied on government supplied contacts, with [[Asser Khattab]] writing in ''[[Raseef22]]'' that the doctor quoted by Fisk "had been introduced to him by officials in the Syrian government and army".<ref name=":3">{{cite news|last1=Khattab|first1=Asser|date=30 October 2021|title=Robert Fisk, the Man Who Died Twice|work=[[Raseef22]]|url=https://raseef22.net/article/1085047-robert-fisk-the-man-who-died-twice|access-date=3 November 2021|ref=raseef22}}</ref> [[Richard Spencer (journalist)|Richard Spencer]] and [[Catherine Philp]] in ''[[The Times]]'' wrote that journalists had been taken to Douma on a government-organised trip while international investigators were forced to remain in Damascus, and that the doctor interviewed by Fisk admitted to not having been to the hospital where the victims were taken.<ref name="Spencer">{{Cite news|last1=Spencer|first1=Richard|last2=Philp|first2=Catherine|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/critics-leap-on-reporter-robert-fisk-s-failure-to-find-signs-of-gas-attack-fx7f3fs2r|title=Critics leap on reporter Robert Fisk's failure to find signs of gas attack|work=[[The Times]]|date=18 April 2018|access-date=23 June 2019|issn=0140-0460|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210824054505/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/critics-leap-on-reporter-robert-fisk-s-failure-to-find-signs-of-gas-attack-fx7f3fs2r|archive-date=24 August 2021|url-status=live}} {{subscription required}}</ref> The [[Snopes]] website said other reporters on the same trip as Fisk had interviewed locals who said they had inhaled toxic gas.<ref>{{cite news|last=Palma|first=Bethania|url=https://www.snopes.com/news/2018/04/20/critics-slam-viral-stories-claiming-douma-chemical-attack-victims-died-dust/|title=Critics Slam Viral Stories Claiming Douma Chemical Attack Victims Died from 'Dust'|work=Snopes|date=20 April 2018|access-date=1 January 2020}}</ref>

Fisk returned to the subject of the Douma attacks in early January 2020, in an article concerning internal disagreements within the [[Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons]] (OPCW) recorded in documents released by [[WikiLeaks]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Fisk|first=Robert|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/syria-war-chemical-weapons-watchdog-opcw-assad-damascus-russia-a9262336.html|title=The Syrian conflict is awash with propaganda – chemical warfare bodies should not be caught up in it|work=The Independent|date=1 January 2020|access-date=1 January 2020}}</ref>