An operation led by Turkish Armed Forces against YPG / PYD deployed in Afrin, a district in northern Syria, is in progress. To commence the operation, Turkish Land Forces accompanied by militants from Free Syrian Army passed to Afrin. The campaign dubbed Operation Olive Branch is backed up by air strikes and artillery shootings. Continuing the operation, many false images and videos started to circulate on the internet and the social media. teyit.org compiled these videos and photos.
1) The photo is of a helicopter crashed in Afghanistan in 2012
The image that is alleged to show a plane wreck from the operation actually shows a helicopter that crashed in 2012 while on a NATO mission in Afghanistan. It was stated that the incident which killed 12 soldiers was a mere accident, and was not caused by any parties hostile to Turkish Armed Forces or NATO.
2) The video was shot in Jarablus, during Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016
The video that was shared with the allegation that it shows Operation Olive Branch was shot in Jarablus during Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016. The video was first published by ANF, a day after a Turkish Armed Forces vessel was targeted on August 27. In a news piece by Dogan News Agency (DHA) on August 30, 2016, a statement made by the Turkish Armed Forces concerning the operation was also published.
3) The video was shot on September 6, 2016, in northern Aleppo
The video that was shared with the claim that two Turkish vessels were targeted in Afrin is shot in northern Aleppo, on September 6, 2016. The attack was carried out by ISIS and published by the terrorist organization’s media outlet, Amaq News Agency. Following the incident, the Turkish Armed Forces issued a statement indicating that three soldiers were killed in the attacks.
4) Fotoğraf, 2015 yılından Halep’in Rityan bölgesinden
The claim that the photo shows Turkish soldiers taken hostage by YPG is not true. The photo shows a terrorist group, among whom there were Hezbollah members, captured in Rityan region of Aleppo in 2015. teyit.org’s analysis about the image can be found here.
5) Two photos showing wrecked tanks were taken at different times
The photos of two detonated tanks that are claimed to be Turkish Armed Forces vessels were taken at different times and places. The photo on the upper right side shows a T72 that was photographed by journalist Andy Cross in Iraq, in 2003. The second photo, on the other hand, shows a tank that belonged to Saudi Arabia and instigated in Yemen in October 2015.
6) The video is recorded from the cockpit of an F-16 belonging to the Royal Netherlands Air Force
The footage that was recorded on April 30, 2013, can be seen on the YouTube page of the Netherlands Ministry of Defense. F-16 pilots were assigned to join the ceremony that celebrates the coronation of Williem-Alexandre.
The voice recording that is claimed to be the conversation of pilots flying over Afrin is from a video that allegedly taken by a police commander in 2015.
7) The video is from a drill held in İzmir in 2016
The video that was shared with the claim that it shows Operation Olive Branch is from a military exercise held in İzmir. It can be seen that the video was uploaded to YouTube by a user on May 31, 2016. In addition, teyit.org’s analysis concerning the video can be found here.
8) The photo of the injured kid is from 2016
The allegation that the photo that was shared on the social media after the start of Operation Olive Branch from Afrin is not correct. But the claims vary when it comes to the time and place at which the photo was taken. The Chechen web agency Kavkaz Center alleges that the photo was taken after a military attack on northern Aleppo organized by the Syrian Army. However, the photo was also shared with the claim that it shows a kid injured during the Russian attacks of 2017. teyit.org’s analysis about the photograph can be found here.
9) The video shows a military practice of the Russian Army from 2012
The video that was circulated after the commence of a Turkish military operation on Afrin and shared by media organizations such as İHA, A Haber, Sözcü, Haber 7, and Hürriyet is actually from a military practice of the Russian Army. The drill was held on September 17-23, 2012 and joined by eight thousand soldiers and more than two hundred military vessels.
10) The photo is from Egypt and dated 2015
The photograph that is alleged to show a person who died in the bombing during Operation Olive Branch is taken during a bombing in Egypt and dates back to 2015.
It is stated that the photo which was published by İHA in July 2015 shows a second explosion that happened after a crowd gathered around the exploded vehicle.
11) The content is from a video game called Medal of Honor
The video that was published on news sites such as Milliyet and channels such as Habertürk is from a role-playing game launched in 2010 and called Medal of Honor. Teyit.org’s analysis about the aforesaid content can be found here.
12) The video was uploaded to Facebook in November 2017 but the specifics remain unknown
The video that was aired on news outlets such as TGRT Haber, Rudaw English, CNN Türk, A Haber, and TRT Haber was put on Facebook in November 2017.
It is possible to see on Liveumap that the video shows the 10th Division of the Syrian Army bombing Beit Jinn region on November 1, 2017.
In conclusion, although the claim that the video shows Turkish Armed Forces’ operation in Afrin is false, the specifics about the date and place of the recording remain unknown. You may access teyit.org’s analysis concerning the footage here.
13) The photograph is from Iraq and was taken in 2014
It is claimed that the photograph shows Turkish soldiers taken hostage by YPG during Operation Olive Branch. However, the photo is from Iraq and was taken in 2014.
It was uploaded to Getty Images by Anadolu News Agency with the claim that ISIS killed twenty members of the Iraqi Army in Fallujah.
Teyit.org’s analysis about the claim can be found here.
Compiled by Gülin Çavuş, Ali Osman Arabacı, Burak Avşar and Mehmet Atakan Foça
Translation: Rumeysa Sena Şahbaz
LAST UPDATE: 24.01.2018 / 16:16
