Türkiye leading 'determined and far-reaching' anti-Daesh/ISIS operations

By Merve Aydogan

ANKARA (AA) - Compared to other countries in the world, Türkiye carried out the most "determined and far-reaching operations" against the Daesh/ISIS terror group, said the country's president on Friday.

"Our National Intelligence, Ministry of Interior, and Armed Forces have carried out the most determined and far-reaching operations in the world against Daesh/ISIS," Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters after Friday prayer in Istanbul.

Saying that the West has never conducted a "proper operation or fight" against Daesh/ISIS terror group, Erdogan said: "They just keep talking about this matter. There is nothing else they do."

Erdogan's remarks came shortly after Türkiye captured one of the most important senior executives of the Daesh/ISIS terrorist organization, Bashar Khattab Ghazal al-Sumaidai, codenamed Abu Zeid/Master Zeid, on Thursday.

- 'US not only country selling fighter jets'

Citing his talks with US President Joe Biden at the NATO summit in Madrid in June, Erdogan said the US president said he "will extend all the support he can regarding F-16s."

Expressing hope for the US to "not lead" Türkiye to "different tracks," Erdogan said, "I mean, the US is not the only country in the world that sells fighter aircraft."

Countries like the UK, France and Russia also sell fighter jets, he said, adding: "It is possible to obtain it everywhere; some signal us for this."

On a question regarding US CENTCOM's statement from Sept. 7 urging the international community to support SDF against Daesh/ISIS, Erdogan said the US "unfortunately continues its wrong steps regarding SDF."

He said he will discuss the issue with Biden during his visit to New York for the UN General Assembly.

The Turkish president also expressed his intention to attend the funeral of the UK's late Queen Elizabeth II if his schedule allows.