PYD/PKK's social media propaganda: 4 photos, 4 lies

The black propaganda of PKK/PYD members and their supporters continued throughout the weekend on social media against the Turkish military and Operation Olive Branch in Syria's Afrin.

Four photographs, which were claimed to be taken during the operation in Syria’s northwestern Afrin region, have turned out to be old photos that were taken during different incidents in the past.

Black propaganda against the Turkish military began soon after Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch in Afrin on Saturday to clear PYD/PKK and Daesh terrorists from the region.

One of the two tank photos shared on Twitter claimed the "tanks belonging to the Turkish army have been burned"; however, the picture was from Yemen taken on Dec. 31, 2016.

The other tank picture with the same claim, dated Dec. 10, 2017, was used in a report titled "The U.S. could lose its power in a possible war with Russia and China".

Another image which shows a soldier on a stretcher was shared with the allegation that the "YPG hurt Turkish soldier" on Facebook; however, this image too is incorrect since it belongs to a soldier who suffered food poisoning in western Manisa province on Dec. 22, 2017.

The fourth picture shared on Twitter claims "Turkish soldiers taken prisoner in Afrin". But again this was untrue since the photo was originally taken from the news titled "Syrian opponents seized Hizbullah team" on Feb. 23, 2015.

Also, on Sunday three photographs, shared by pro-PKK/PYD accounts on social media which were claimed to be taken during Turkey’s operation in Syria’s northwestern Afrin region, turned out to be old photos that were captured during different past incidents.

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

Some social media accounts which posted false images of different events later were shut down and their posts were removed.

The PKK terror group has given instructions to its supporters to post false images ahead of the United Nations General Assembly meeting, claiming that "civilians are being targeted".

The Turkish General Staff asserted that 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 operation was 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 to Syria's territorial integrity, the military added.

It also said only terrorist targets were being destroyed and "utmost importance" was being given to not harm any civilian.