ANKARA
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said Turkey’s military operations would continue “until armed groups lay down arms and leave", and "Daesh ceases to be a threat to Turkey”.
Speaking at the "Civil Initiative against Terrorism" conference on Friday at the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) headquarters in capital Ankara, Davutoglu said that attacks by Daesh, the PKK and leftist groups have three goals: Turkey's democracy, public safety and international reputation.
"If someone wants to disturb the peace of our people, our duty is to secure that peace,” he said.
Since July 20, when 32 activists were killed in a bomb blast in Suruc, Sanliurfa province, Turkey’s military has increased military operations against Daesh and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Turkey as well as Syria and Iraq, while simultaneously conducting nationwide counter-terrorism operations which have seen more than 1,300 detentions.
The bomb blast has been widely attributed to Daesh but most attacks on security forces -- that have resulted in around 20 deaths -- have been blamed on the PKK, which is designated a terrorist organization in Turkey as well as in the EU and U.S.
