3 more PYD/PKK lies about Afrin operation exposed

By Fatma Esma Arslan

ANKARA (AA) - Supporters of the PYD/PKK terrorist organization on Tuesday continued to repost old photographs on social media as if they were recently shot in Syria’s Afrin.

The PKK terror group has given instructions to its supporters to post fake images online in an attempt to tarnish Turkey's ongoing Afrin operation.

Some accounts posting such fake news and images were shut down after Anadolu Agency did a story on them.

Nonetheless, the black propaganda of PKK/PYD members and their supporters has continued online against the Turkish military and its Operation Olive Branch in Afrin.

Three more photographs, which were supposedly taken during the ongoing operation, turned out to be old pictures that were taken during different incidents in the past.

One picture shared on Twitter claimed "civilians are being targeted by Turkish army". It showed a child on a stretcher; however, it turned out the picture was taken on Aug. 29, 2017, in northern Syrian city of Mare during the U.S.-backed SDF/PKK attack.

Another photo shared on social media allegedly shows the "taking down of a Turkish helicopter by PKK in Afrin". This picture is actually from Afghanistan, taken on March 16, 2012.

Another picture shared on Twitter claimed it showed "destruction of five Turkish tanks"; however, the picture was from a PKK-backed website titled "YPG responds to Daesh with its improved anti-tank missiles" from July 13, 2014.

In the last two days, seven other pictures shared by pro-PYD/PKK accounts on social media supposedly about Afrin operation turned out to be old photographs that were taken during different incidents in the past.

All the claims were false and the pictures were actually captured before the Operation Olive Branch even began.

According to the Turkish General Staff, the aim of the Afrin operation is to establish security and stability along Turkish borders and the region, and protect the Syrian people from the oppression and cruelty of terrorists.

The military has said the operation is being carried out under the framework of Turkey's rights based on international law, UN Security Council’s decisions, self-defense rights under the UN charter and respect for Syria's territorial integrity.

It has also said that only terrorist targets are being destroyed and "utmost importance" is being given to not harm any civilians.

The PYD/PKK is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK terrorist group, which has been designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU.