The video-sharing platform TikTok has deleted three Arabic-language accounts of RT, without explanation. The measure comes as the Israel-Hezbollah conflict has spurred fears of a regional escalation.
RT Arabic, RT Online and RT Newsroom accounts vanished on Tuesday evening. They had survived last Saturday’s purge of the accounts belonging to RT International, Sputnik Afrique, Sputnik Africa, Sputnik International, Sputnik Brasil, Sputnik Mundo, Sputnik Indonesia and Sputnik Serbia. TikTok has not yet commented on the new development.
The crackdown came after Washington sanctioned RT and several other Russian outlets, accusing them of “functioning as a de facto arm of [Russian] intelligence” and accused them of working to covertly “undermine democracy” in the US and elsewhere.