Humanitarian aid truck turns into black propaganda against Turkey

By Hilal Kaplan, Yeni Şafak

The "black propaganda" regarding a truck carrying humanitarian aid to Syria flares-up the slanderous allegations to disrepute the Turkish government.

The truck, allegedly loaded with ammunition was halted in Hatay, a city near Turkey's Syrian border, earlier this month.
Turkish gendarmerie was notified of the truck allegedly carrying ammunition. The truck was halted by the police within the liability zone of the Turkish gendarmerie, hence the police did not conduct any search on the truck. Instead the gendarmerie searched the truck on its way to Syria.

Following the truck allegation, Adana Public Prosecutor Ozcan Sisman filed a criminal complaint against authorities, including Hatay Public Prosecutor, Kirikhan Chief Prosecutor, Hatay Provincial Gendarmerie Commander and the Interior Ministry's officers.

Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) was accused of being behind the truck allegedly carrying ammunition, yet IHH dismissed the allegations as slanderous.

Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu stated that the truck headed for Syria was carrying food and other basic aid materials and denied all other allegations. He further emphasized that Turkey has never been a supporter of the civil war in Syria.
The truck allegation, on the other hand, is the clearest indicator that illegal organizations within the state are trying to undermine the ruling AK Party with a campaign of misinformation and black propaganda such as slandering the Turkish government to be in support of terror organizations.

The "black propaganda" was purported to the entire world by certain media outlets. The truck crisis news in Hatay was reported by the police reporters in Ankara and Istanbul. The Today's Zaman newspaper ran a story depicting Turkey as the hand behind "Al-Qaeda", without any proof to support their claim.
Despite the "black propaganda" by certain media outlets, Turkey launched 104 operations to "Al-Qaeda" terrorist cells. 129 out of 345 people taken into custody were arrested.

The "Global Anti-Terrorism Fund" between Turkey and the United States, announced by Turkey's Foreign Minister Davutoglu and United States' Foreign Minister Kerry on September is another indicator that Turkey is fighting against terrorism.