Türkiye rejects YPG drone claim as AI-generated disinformation

Türkiye's Center for Combating Disinformation (DMM) has moved to debunk a viral social media narrative claiming the YPG/PKK terrorist group demonstrated restraint in Syria, labeling it as deliberate manipulation. The official statement exposed the claim as false and warned the public of a concerning rise in artificial intelligence-generated disinformation campaigns related to the Syrian conflict.

Debunking the Specific Viral Claim

In a statement released on Wednesday via the Turkish social media platform NSosyal, the DMM directly addressed posts that alleged a YPG drone changed its flight path upon detecting a civilian holding a child in Syria. The center categorically rejected this narrative, stating it "contains disinformation." More critically, the DMM's analysis revealed that the video footage used to support the claim was not from Syria at all, but was actually recorded during the Russia-Ukraine war. The center concluded that repurposing this footage and associating it with the YPG was a "manipulative attempt to portray terrorist elements as innocent," part of a propaganda effort to whitewash the group's activities.

Warning of Broader AI-Driven Disinformation Campaign

Beyond the specific drone video, the DMM issued a separate, broader warning about the use of advanced technology to spread falsehoods. The center stated it has detected a significant increase in "artificial intelligence-generated disinformation activities," which have escalated in parallel with recent military and political developments in Syria. As examples, the DMM cited other fabricated images circulating online, including one showing a child abandoned in the snow due to Syrian army operations and another alleging Syrian soldiers were detained by Israeli forces inside Syria. The center identified these as "fake content generated using artificial intelligence" that had been recirculated in various forms.

A Call for Public Vigilance in the Digital Age

The twin statements from the DMM underscore the evolving challenge state actors face in countering sophisticated information warfare, especially in highly contested regions like Syria. The use of AI to create convincing but entirely fake imagery and narratives presents a new frontier in propaganda, making it harder for the public to distinguish fact from fiction. In light of this, the center ended its warning with a direct appeal, urging the public to "remain vigilant and exercise caution" against such AI-generated speculation, emphasizing the need for critical media literacy when encountering content related to sensitive geopolitical conflicts.