A YouTube video falsely insinuated in its headline that the United States (U.S.) and Australia recently sent troops and arms to the Philippines.
“China Panicky ! U.S. & Australia Sends Troops and Armaments to the Philippines (Jan. 15, 2024),” read the headline of a YouTube video uploaded on Jan. 15.
This is misleading. It actually refers to a joint exercise between the three countries from over four months ago.
From Aug. 14 to 31, 2023, more than 1,200 Australian troops, 560 Filipino troops and 120 U.S. Marines conducted joint drills under “Exercise Alon.”
VERA Files Fact Check found out through Google Search that the text featured in the misleading video came from an article published by Indonesian news organization Kompas on Aug. 14, 2023.
Exercise Alon was part of the Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2023, Australia’s flagship regional engagement activity with 14 countries across Southeast Asia and the Northeast Indian Ocean.
The misleading YouTube video surfaced over a week after China on Jan. 4 condemned recent joint patrols conducted by the U.S. and the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea.
Posted by YouTube channel U.S. Military District (created on Jan. 1, 2016), the misleading video garnered a total of 14,805 views, 248 comments, and 24 comments.
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