Türkiye will not allow any global, regional actor to endanger its security: President

By Merve Aydogan

ANKARA (AA) - Türkiye will continue to "resolutely" take steps against terrorism and will not allow any global or regional actor to endanger its security, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday.

"Terror is the biggest scourge that the imperialists have inflicted on Türkiye," Erdogan said at an iftar dinner in the southeastern Sanliurfa province.

He said that Türkiye’s “national security begins beyond its borders,” and stressed that his country "cannot rest with peace of mind if peace is not ensured in our region."

"We can never be safe as long as there are terrorists equipped with air power, ground power and asymmetric weapons in northern Syria and Iraq," he added.

Earlier, Erdogan attended a ceremony for the groundbreaking of 897 post-earthquake houses and key handover of 659 houses and 61 shops.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK — listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and EU — has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.

PKK terrorists have hideouts in northern Iraq, across the Turkish border, which they use to plot attacks on Türkiye.

Moreover, YPG/PKK terrorists hide out in northern Syria, near the Turkish border, where they plan and carry out attacks on both locals and nearby settlements in Türkiye.

Since 2016, Ankara has launched a trio of successful anti-terror operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).