Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The US military convinced citizens of Uzbekistan not to be vaccinated with a Chinese “haram vaccine” against COVID-19 as part of a disinformation campaign, Reuters reports.

The US military has spread false information about the dangers of Chinese COVID-19 vaccines in Southeast and Central Asia to undermine trust in China, the agency reports.

During the pandemic, the US military launched a covert campaign aimed at countering China’s "increasing influence" in the Philippines. The goal was to raise doubts among people about the safety and effectiveness of Chinese vaccines and other important aid from China.

Sources involved in the planning and implementation of the program told the agency that the Pentagon carried it out through the military psychological operations center in Tampa, Florida.

According to Reuters, this activity began in the spring of 2020 and spanned regions outside of Southeast Asia. The Pentagon, tailoring its propaganda to local audiences in Central Asia and the Middle East, used fake social media accounts on various platforms to create fear of Chinese vaccines among Muslims while the virus was claiming thousands of lives daily.

Particular attention was paid to Russian-speaking Muslims in Central Asia, including Uzbekistan.

The US military spread false information about the presence of pork gelatin in Chinese vaccines, which made them “haram,” Reuters reports.

Experts point out that mistrust of one vaccine can lead to mistrust of vaccines in general, which increases the number of “anti-vaxxers” and leads to more victims of the disease.

It is noteworthy that the Joe Biden administration at the time actively supported vaccinations and measures against COVID-19.

By the spring of 2021, the US National Security Council ordered the military to stop the anti-vaccination campaign, but fake reports about COVID and vaccinations continued into the fall.

The agency notes that the Pentagon’s covert propaganda efforts will continue. An open Pentagon strategy document says the U.S. military can use “social media disinformation, fake news and other disruptive activities to weaken public trust and undermine the foundations of governance,” Reuters reports.

In February, General Dynamics IT, a contractor involved in the anti-vaccination campaign, was awarded a US$493 million contract. Its mission is to continue to provide secret military propaganda services.