Sympathizers of the PYD/PKK terror group continued their smear campaign on social media against Turkey's anti-terror operation in northern Syria. YPG/
Sympathizers of the PYD/PKK terror group continued their smear campaign on social media against Turkey’s anti-terror operation in northern Syria.
YPG/PKK-affiliated social media accounts have been spreading misleading and irrelevant images of burned or burning military vehicles and tanks, framing them as belonging to the Turkish Armed Forces amid the country’s ongoing Operation Peace Spring, which seeks to eradicate a terror corridor in its southern border and bring stability to the region.
A photo — posted by a pro-PKK/YPG social media account — showing a burning tank was posted as if taken during the operation. It was actually found to have been taken in Iraq in 2003.
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Operation Peace Spring continues in northern Syria
This footage taken from Ceylanpinar district of Turkey’s border province of Sanliurfa on October 16, 2019 shows terrorist positions are being hit in northern Syria’s Ras al-Ayn district as Operation Peace Spring against the PKK/YPG and Daesh terrorists continues. Clashes between PKK/YPG terrorists and SNA troops in Operation Peace Spring are continuing in the districts of Ras al-Ayn and Tal Abyad, east of the Euphrates River in northern Syria. So far two district centers, a town, and dozens of village have been liberated from PKK/YPG terrorists.
Another pro-PKK/YPG account published a similar photo of another Iraqi tank, which had been taken in 1991 in Kuwait during the First Gulf War, to smear Turkey’s peace operation.
In another example, a manipulator social media account used the photo of an armored personnel carrier in flames as if three tanks, which belong to the Turkish army, were destroyed in the town of Tal Abyad in northern Syria. The photo was found to have been taken in 2007 in the Samarra district in Iraq’s north-central Saladin province.
A photo of a tank in flames taken in Syria in 2012 was also used as if it was taken in northern Syria during Turkey’s operation.
Another terror-linked social media account tried to manipulate public opinion with another image of a tank in flames, claiming it was taken during Operation Peace Spring. The photo was found to have been taken in 2012 in Syria.
Russia recognizes Turkey’s legitimate security concerns
Russia recognizes Turkey’s legitimate interests to ensure its border security, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday.“We have always said that we recognize legitimate interests of Turkey in ensuring security of its border,” Lavrov told a meeting of heads of intelligence services in Sochi, a Russian coastal city.The minister said Russia advocates the establishment of a “practical cooperation” between Damascus and Ankara on the basis of the 1998 Adana Agreement, which allows Turkish forces to conduct military operations in Syria.Video: Akar makes military salute at AK Party parliamentary group meeting“Practically the military of the two countries must determine concrete parameters of such a cooperation. We are ready to assist such a dialogue,” he said.Lavrov confirmed talks between the Syrian government and the terrorist group YPG/PKK have started. Russia will encourage the success and implementation of agreements between the two parties.Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring on Oct. 9 to eliminate terrorists from northern Syria in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.Ankara wants to clear northern Syria east of the Euphrates River of the terrorist PKK and its Syrian offshoot, the PYD/YPG.Turkey has said the PKK and the YPG/PYD constitute the biggest threats to Syria’s future, jeopardizing the country’s territorial integrity and unitary structure.Syrian National Army commanders: Kurds are our siblingsUnequal treatment for Turkish footballers under probe
Pro-YPG/PKK social media accounts also used a photo of burned armored vehicles as if taken during Operation Peace Spring, which was false as the photo was taken in Yemen in Sep. 2.
Turkey on Oct. 9 launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate terrorists from northern Syria in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.
Ankara wants to clear northern Syria east of the Euphrates River of the terrorist PKK and its Syrian offshoot, the PYD/YPG.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK — listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the European Union — has been responsible for deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.
Syrian National Army commanders: Kurds are our siblings
The Syrian National Army (SNA), Turkey’s allies in its anti-terror operation in northern Syria, are meeting with locals in liberated villages and spreading messages of peace and fellowship.“We’ve come here to liberate you. Arabs, Kurds, and Christians are all equal in our eyes. We don’t discriminate,” a Syrian National Army commander on Wednesday told locals recently liberated from YPG/PKK terrorists.Operation Peace Spring was launched on Oct. 9 to eliminate YPG/PKK terrorists from northern Syria in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.Video: Operation Peace Spring continues in northern SyriaOn day eight of the operation, Anadolu Agency cameras captured meetings between liberated locals and SNA soldiers.Telling the locals they have nothing to fear, the commander said: “I have just one request: If you see mines or traps, show us where they are.”“We’re here to wipe out the PKK” terrorist group, the commander stressed, adding: “Kurds are our brothers.”A villager thanked the Syrian National Army soldiers for their struggle, saying, “They [YPG/PKK] seized my house two years ago. Today, you returned it.”“May God bless you. I hope you will gain a victory over them,” he said.’Claims against Turkey’s anti-terror push are weak’At least 46 Syrian National Army (SNA) soldiers have been martyred and 136 others injured during Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria since last week.Ankara wants to clear northern Syria east of the Euphrates River of the terrorist PKK and its Syrian offshoot, the PYD/YPG.In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK — listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union — has been responsible for deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.Turkey remands four trying to recruit children for PKKTurkey’s anti-terror operation rightful: Experts
‘Claims against Turkey’s anti-terror push are weak’
The arguments being made against Turkey’s anti-terror operation in northeastern Syria do not hold up under close examination, according to a Turkish diplomat serving in Europe.Turkey’s Operation Peace Spring against the terrorist YPG/PKK is being targeted by an “information war,” Zeki Levent Gumrukcu, Turkey’s ambassador to Brussels, told Anadolu Agency.Gumrukcu said the concerns in Belgium over Turkey’s operation are not “realistic.””When we explain Turkey’s arguments to our counterparts, we see that the other side’s contentions disappear,” he stressed.Turkey remands four trying to recruit children for PKKThe claims made against Turkey are not well-thought out, are ignorant of the issue and the region, or are just ill-intentioned, he said.Turkey is taking the utmost care not to harm any civilians or civilian infrastructure, he said.Turkey has even presented the results of its two previous anti-terror operations in northwestern Syria — Operations Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch, since 2016 — showing their success through photos and data.”Turkey, actually, is the last country which could be criticized for a humanitarian crisis resulting from its operations,” Gumrukcu said, referring to the peace and stability in areas liberated previously by Turkey.Turkey’s anti-terror operation rightful: ExpertsTurkey’s borders and security means the security of NATO and even the EU, he said.Turkey on Oct. 9 launched Operation Peace Spring to secure its borders by eliminating terrorist groups there, to ensure the safe return of Syrian refugees and Syria’s territorial integrity.Ankara wants to clear northern Syria east of the Euphrates of the terrorist PKK and its Syrian offshoot, the PYD/YPG.In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK — listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the European Union — has been responsible for deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.US has to work with Turkey on their terms, says expertYPG/PKK terror attacks kill six civilians in SyriaPKK continues to be Europe’s favorite terror group