Fake images used to sabotage Yıldırım-Merkel briefing

A self-proclaimed journalist used fake photographs during a joint news conference of Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin to smear Turkey's ongoing operation in Syria.

Armanc Agid Nerweyi, who introduced himself as a journalist but the business card he distributed identified him as an NGO worker, attempted to sabotage the news conference on Thursday by shouting and waving the fake images.

He falsely claimed the images of injured children were taken in Afrin, northern Syria where Turkey began an operation against Daesh and PYD/PKK terrorists on Jan. 20.

It was later revealed the images he displayed were old images from 2015 and 2016, long before the operation was launched.

One of the pictures was actually a photograph distributed by Reuters and published by German Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper on Dec. 18, 2015.

The second image was shared by a Twitter account on Aug. 16, 2016.

It was then understood that Nerweyi attempted to sabotage the news conference by staging black propaganda for the PYD/PKK terrorist group.

His behavior also contradicted the general rules of attending a press briefing, as he began shouting without taking the floor.

Yıldırım immediately responded by saying the images were taken from elsewhere.

"Those are pictures from somewhere else. Don't do propaganda here. If you want to know what is going on in Afrin come there. You will see the truth," Yidirim said.

The pictures were also used by the PYD/PKK supporters earlier and Anadolu Agency had revealed that they were fake.

Following Turkey's counter-terrorism operation in Afrin, the PYD/PKK terror group has been continuously using fake and old images to spread their black propaganda.

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 terrorist 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-defense 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 the "utmost care" is being taken to not harm civilians.