In his social media post, Özdağ claimed that the photo was taken in Turkey and included the following statement:
“I am sharing a photo and note sent to me by a retired Jandarma colonel: ‘No backpacks… No spare clothes… No water bottles in their hands… No fat people among them… No women, elderly, or children… All young men… They look like they came from 5 minutes away, not 3,000 km away… No signs of fatigue on any of them… They are marching in military formation… They are not worried or sad… They are all cheerful and confident… They look like everything but refugees! It smells like they have set up some kind of plan; it is very clear that we have been betrayed in a big way.’ We will defend our homeland and our families.”
Emekli bir jandarma albayın bana ilettiği fotoğrafı ve notu paylaşıyorum:”Sırt çantaları yok… Yedek giysileri yok… Ellerinde bir şişe su yok… Aralarında şişman yok… Kadın, yaşlı, çoluk çocuk yok… Tamamı genç erkekler… 3 bin km öteden değil de 5 dakikalık yoldan gelmiş… pic.twitter.com/YNdSd55rxA
— Ümit Özdağ (@umitozdag) August 23, 2023
Photo Revealed to be Taken in Afghanistan
It was revealed that the photo Özdağ claimed was taken in Turkey was actually taken in Afghanistan and had been shared two years ago on the Gazete Pencere website. Despite the truth being exposed, Özdağ did not remove his post.
