Twitter plays key role in sharing of quake aid information

Official says block addressed untrue claims, insults

Ankara says Twitter pledged support vs disinformation

Turkey passed law to combat 'disinformation' last October

By Daren Butler and Orhan Coskun

ISTANBUL, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Turkey's decision to block access to Twitter for about 12 hours from Wednesday afternoon to early Thursday as people scrambled to find loved ones after devastating earthquakes has compounded public frustration at the pace of relief efforts.

Opposition leaders and social media users criticised the throttling of the platform, which has helped people share information on arriving aid and the location of those still trapped in rubble after the initial tremor on Monday.

President Tayyip Erdogan's government has blocked social media in the past and focused in recent months on fighting what it calls "disinformation", which it said prompted the block on Wednesday.

It restored full access to Twitter early on Thursday as the quake's death toll in Turkey and neighbouring Syria shot past 17,000.

President Tayyip Erdogan's government "lost its mind and... the result is cries for help being heard less. We know everything you're trying to hide," main opposition CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu said after the block was imposed on Wednesday afternoon.

A government official who requested anonymity said the move had temporarily interrupted real calls for help, but that action was taken quickly and the service...

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