Türkiye will not hesitate to do whatever country's security requires: President Erdogan

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA (AA) – Türkiye will do what is necessary to secure the country from terrorist organizations, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday.

"We do not bow to those who try to corner us by using terrorist organizations. We do not hesitate to do whatever Türkiye's security requires," Erdogan told a crowd ahead of the Justice and Development (AK) Party’s 4th extraordinary congress in the capital Ankara.

Recently, Türkiye has been conducting air strikes in northern Syria and Iraq to eliminate terrorist attacks against the Turkish people and security forces by “neutralizing” PKK/YPG and other terrorist elements to ensure border security based on self-defense rights arising from Article 51 of the UN Charter.

The move came after Sunday's foiled attack in Türkiye's capital Ankara. On Oct. 1, a suicide bomber blew himself up in front of the Interior Ministry building, while another terrorist was killed by security forces at the entrance gate. Two police officers suffered minor injuries in the attack. The Turkish Interior Ministry has confirmed the attackers' ties to the PKK terrorist group.

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. The YPG is its Syrian branch.