Türkiye’s Directorate of Communications on Friday quashed a series of fake reports regarding Syrian refugees, border security and earthquake response that appeared in media earlier this week.

Syrian refugees

In its bulletin released weekly to counter disinformation in the wake of the twin tremors that claimed more than 51,000 lives in 11 Turkish provinces and northwestern Syria since Feb. 6, the directorate debunked a claim expressed on a television program that Turkish authorities were "taking 600,000 refugees to Istanbul."

"This is blatantly wrong," the bulletin read. "In coordination with public institutions, nongovernmental organizations (NGO) and international migration organizations, Türkiye’s Presidency of Migration Management continued migration management uninterrupted during the disaster period, as well."

"Moreover, the said claim is part of a scheme to fuel misconceptions through migrants during this period," the directorate said, stressing that such a migration movement was "out of the question."

Syrian border

The directorate addressed another widespread allegation concerning Türkiye’s border with Syria.

Certain media platforms have recently claimed the border was "flung open to change especially Hatay’s political population using the earthquake as an excuse" and that "those who expressed this fact have been attacked."

Dismissing the allegations as "entirely opposite of reality," the directorate underlined that "no crossings occurred through any of the border gates," adding to previous statements from Defense Minister Hulusi Akar that around 42,000 Syrians in Türkiye have returned to their home country since the earthquakes.

"The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) monitor the border via thermal cameras and unmanned air vehicles 24/7 and there has been no activity or attempts to cross the border," it said.

"The owner of these claims has raised similar allegations in the past, only to be proven wrong later," it added.

Military response

The bulleting also refuted yet again another claim about the deployment of military forces in the disaster zone.

"The claim made on a television program that ‘military aircraft weren’t deployment to the earthquake zone’ is not true," the directorate said.

"In addition to cargo ships belonging to the Air Forces, CH-47 heavy-lift helicopters belonging to the Land Forces and AS-532 helicopters have arrived at the disaster zone," it informed.

"Despite fog and snow, the military forces made hundreds of sorties in the first two days to deliver troops and emergency aid to the affected areas.

"SH-70 Sea Hawk helicopter stationed on TCG Gaziantep evacuated medical patients to nearby hospitals while choppers under the Defense Ministry conducted 4,388 sorties from Incirlik Air Base in Adana and carried 1,603,035 kilograms of aid supplies as of March 1," it noted.

"Turkish troops, working tirelessly, delivered aid materials to 311 villages via air routes as of March 2," it added.