By TRT World
Global propaganda against Turkey based on lies would not be successful, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said amid an ongoing operation in Syria’s Afrin.
A global anti-Turkey propaganda based on lies would not be successful, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday.
Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch on January 20 to clear YPG/PKK and Daesh militants from Syria’s northwestern Afrin region.
“Launching of a worldwide war of propaganda, based on lies, slander and distortion, by those who cannot deal with Turkey on the ground, will not work,” Erdogan said during a provincial congress by the governing Justice and Development (AK) Party in the southern province of Kahramanmaras.
Supporters of YPG/PKK are involved in a smear campaign against Turkey’s ongoing counter-terror operation in Syria through the use of crude photo manipulation and misrepresentation.
Social media accounts linked to the terrorist group and its supporters post morphed photos which are unrelated to the ongoing operation and have actually been taken at another place and time.
“Those who see us as yesterday’s Turkey, and treat us in this manner, have begun to gradually realise the truth,” Erdogan said.
Allegations over civilian casualties
Erdogan rejected claims that civilians were being targeted during the operation.
“It is not in our blood to attack civilians, but in yours,” he said.
He said the country was determined to have a global voice on a range of issues, from economy to democracy.
Turkey’s revival has motivated several communities in the region and across the world, he added.
Criticising former colonialists and their “voluntary” slaves, he said eradicating terrorism was crucial to prevent a retreat to colonialism.
Turkish MFA-@MFATurkeyTurkish Armed Forces (TAF): #OperationOliveBranch targets only terrorists and their shelters, hideouts, emplacements, weapons, vehicles and equipment. Utmost attention is paid not to give any harm to civilians or the environment.
Erdogan later attended another provincial party congress in the neighbouring province of Osmaniye where he complained of lack of “serious” global protest against the killings in Syria’s besieged Damascus suburb of eastern Ghouta.
“Have you heard of a country which is seriously protesting the ongoing violence in eastern Ghouta?” he asked. “They keep talking about civilians [rights]. Well, aren’t they civilians in eastern Ghouta?”
Referring to the YPG/PKK militants in Afrin, he said: “Look at those who were defying us and our country a month ago. Today, they are begging and crying to their Western lords saying: ‘Please, save us’.
“Doesn’t matter whoever they cry or beg to, we will give them what they deserve.”
Afrin operation
According to the Turkish General Staff, the operation aims to establish security and stability along Turkey’s borders and the region as well as protect Syrians from militants oppression and cruelty.
The operation is being carried out under the framework of Turkey’s rights based on international law, UN Security Council resolutions, its self-defence rights under the UN charter, and respect for Syria’s territorial integrity, it said.
The military also said only terror targets were being destroyed and that “utmost care” was being taken to not harm civilians.
