Syrian Christian group urges NBC not to mislead public

ANKARA

One of the world’s oldest Christian minorities, Syria’s Arameans, urged NBC News early Saturday not to mislead the public by covering a false report about Turkey’s Operation Peace Spring.

NBC News claimed Thursday that two Syrian Christians were killed overnight in Turkish strikes, citing the Syriac Military Council militia.

It also said that Baderkhan Ahmad, a Syrian-Kurdish journalist reporting from Qamishli city in northeastern Syria, said a Christian mother and her child were killed in his neighborhood.

In a Twitter post, the World Council of Arameans (Syriacs) said "zero Christians” have been killed in northeastern Syria during Turkey’s Operation Peace Spring.

"To media: please verify your sources. At least cite non-YPG ones as well. Rectify your current articles. Don't mislead your readers and the public. Stop frightening our people at home!" it added.

Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring on Wednesday to eliminate terrorists from northern Syria in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.

Ankara wants to clear northern Syria east of the Euphrates River of the terrorist PKK and its Syrian offshoot, the PYD/YPG.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union -- has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.